Gibraltar - Maritime Chiefs Probe Oil Spill
12th June 2012
Maritime officials in Gibraltar are investigating the cause of an oil spill that occurred during a ship refuelling operation off the North Mole on Friday evening. The refrigerated vessel Frio Dolphin was taking fuel from the bunker tanker Vemaoil XX when around three tonnes of fuel spilt into the sea.
“The source of the oil was determined as a bunkering accident which is being investigated and followed up with the relevant parties,” the Gibraltar Government said in a statement.
The Gibraltar Port Authority [GPA] and the Department of the Environment activated the Gibraltar Oil Spill Contingency Plan and moved swiftly to contain the spill. By Saturday afternoon most of the spill had been confined to just a fewl points inside and adjacent to the harbour.
Booms were set up to protect local marinas and other facilities within the harbour, which was contained with the co-operation of the Algeciras Authorities who provided vessels and a helicopter to assist.
[source: Gibraltar Chronicle]