Asia/Pacific News
Mobil Paying $691,307 for Tauranga Bunker Spill
Mobil is paying $691,307 to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council for the clean up costs of an estimated 1,500 litres of oil that was spilled in April in Tauranga Harbour, local media reports.
Mobil has paid the council's first invoice of $421,307.80 and is currently processing the second, worth $270,000.
The council has reportedly handed over the responsibility of the completion of the final clean-up operations to Mobil Oil New Zealand.
"We have taken full responsibility for the incident and we are deeply sorry it occurred," said Andrew McNaught, country manager for Mobil Oil New Zealand.
"We also said we would meet all reasonable costs for cleaning and repair of damage to private property. We have made a number of these payments.
"In the case of boat cleaning, we are directly paying the boat cleaning company to expedite and make the process easier for everyone."
A total of 166 claims with a value of $308,000 have reportedly been received, the majority of which are related to impacted boats.
Mobil, which is currently using a separate pipeline to the Oil Tanker Berth, says it will be at least three months until the leaking line is operational again.
The oil was said to have leaked out of a pipeline during bunkering of a ship at the Mount Maunganui wharf on April 27 and washed up on beaches in the city's waterways.
Earlier this month Ship & Bunker reported that bunkering is being "accommodated" in Tauranga Harbour while the bunker pipeline remains closed.
