EMEA News
Bunkering Accident Confirmed Responsible For Spill
A "bunkering accident" was responsible for a spill off the North Mole, Gibraltar at approximately 7pm Friday evening, Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar (HMGOG) and the Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA) has confirmed in a joint press release.
"The source of the oil was determined as a bunkering accident which is being investigated and followed up with the relevant parties," the statement said.
Local media reported around three tonnes of fuel had been spilt and the incident had involved the refrigerated vessel Frio Dolphin and the bunker tanker Vemaoil XX.
The GPA in conjunction with the Department of the Environment (DOE) initiated the Gibraltar Oil Spill Contingency Plan as soon as the incident had been reported, and by Saturday afternoon the spill was mostly contained to several points inside and adjacent to the harbour.
The joint HMGOG-GPA statement said assets from the GPA, Gibraltar Maritime Authority (GMA), DOE, the Gibraltar Tourist Board, and the Environment Agency had all been used in the operation, as well as assistance from the Port Authority of Algeciras and La Linea.
"Real cross border co-operation between EU neighbour nations in such matters is crucial in ensuring the important marine environment of the region is preserved," the HMGOG-GPA statement said.
Gibraltar's Environmental Safety Group (ESG) said it recognised the spill was "minor" but nevertheless served "as a reminder of Port impact on the marine environment."
"With bunkering taking place at four separate ports in the Strait of Gibraltar all minor oil spills add up and impact on the natural environment stressing the need for utmost vigilance and best practice to be applied on all such activity," the ESG statement said.
ESG also suggested the location of the incident had a role in the speed and effectivness of the authorities' reponse, and "had the bunkering operation taken place at a greater distance to shore, the results could have been very different."
HMGOG says it will now be considering the lessons learnt from the spill in order "to improve procedures even further to both prevent and deal with oil spills and liability for them."
