MEDIA RELEASE

Smooth rescue operation after oil spill
For immediate release: Monday 26 February 2007

An oil spill from a log carrier berthed at the Port of Tauranga was quickly contained during a smooth rescue operation on Monday morning.

Environment Bay of Plenty staff were on the scene within 15 minutes of the spill being reported at 7.15am.

The regional council’s maritime manager Carl Magazinovic says the incident involved the Panama-registered ship, Susaki Wing, which runs logs between New Zealand and Japan. A quantity of lubricating oil had got into the sea water discharge pipe in what appeared to be an engine room malfunction, he explains.

“The ship was just getting ready to sail when one of the crew spotted the oil in the water. Stevedores from the ship behind also noticed it and immediately called our pollution hotline.”

Mr Magazinovic says the pollution team arrived within minutes and by 9am had set up booms to contain the spilled oil under the wharf. They spent the next few hours removing the oil, mostly by skimming it off the surface with skimmer machines. They also used a septic tank cleaning truck, which worked very well, he says.

The team will return tomorrow (Tuesday) to finish off the job.

“It was a very smooth operation. It all went very well, thanks to the well trained team.” The pollution team consists of Environment Bay of Plenty and Port of Tauranga staff, who carry out regular training exercises together.

Environment Bay of Plenty will now carry out an investigation into the incident. At the moment, it is not clear exactly what happened or how much oil was spilled, Mr Magazinovic says.

ENDS

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