Oil ship refloated after grounding in town harbour

THE OFFSHORE diving support vessel Bibby Topaz that ran aground just outside Lerwick harbour in the early hours of Friday morning night refloated itself just before noon on the rising tide.

The ship master lightened the front of the 105 metre vessel with around 100 crew on board.

The move allowed her to float free and tugs assisted her to berth at the harbour’s Greenhead Base.

Lerwick Port Authority has launched an internal investigation into what happened when the vessel left the port with a pilot on board using the recently deepened channel at the north entrance.

The vessel was ruptured in the incident, but no fuel holding tanks have been affected. The port authority said there was no danger of any pollution.

Chief executive Sandra Laurenson said: “The Bibby Topaz was departing the harbour in the early hours of the morning on a routine operation.

“We are not sure yet exactly what caused the vessel to run aground at the north entrance. That is all part of the ongoing inquiry.

“There is no rupture to any of the oil holding tanks and no pollution is envisaged.

“The skipper managed to lighten the for’ard part of the vessel and she has refloated herself on the high tide and is now safely moored back at Greenhead Base in Lerwick.”

A spokesman for the ship’s owner Bibby Offshore Limited said: “The vessel will undergo a detailed inspection to assess any damage that might have been caused by the grounding. All the crew remain safe and well and there has been no incidence of any environmental damage or pollution.”

(Photo by Malcolm Younger of Millgaet Media)