Marine / Harbour board hears of marine incidents recorded at council ports
MORE than 30 marine incidents have been recorded at council ports since February.
Among these was a tanker being returned to sea after arriving into Sullom Voe with higher than permitted gas concentrations in cargo tanks.
Meanwhile a crew member of a boat engaged in seal count activities suffered serious hand injuries while handling a netted seal.
Of the 32 incidents recorded, 21 took place in the Sullom Voe Harbour Area.
A further ten were recorded in Scalloway – including seven instances of minor pollution – and one was in Symbister.
Five tankers presented deficiencies in their pilot boarding arrangements at Sullom Voe.
Deputy harbourmaster Ross Gordon said this came after a successful, long-running campaign over the correct use of pilot ladders.
But he said the new incidents were the “direct consequence” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This was because Russian ships were sanctioned, meaning some new vessels effectively came to Sullom Voe in their place.
Gordon also said the seal incident involved someone well experienced in marine animal surveys.
He said a seal was in a net and had twisted the wrong way. An ambulance was waiting at Sella Ness to attend to the crew member.
Meanwhile there were also instances of vessels suffering engine and gearbox failure.
And on 5 March a tanker bound for Sullom Voe narrowly avoided infringing the ‘area to be avoided’ limits around the Shetland coast.
Gordon added that in more recent times instances of pollution have decreased.
The incidents were reported to members of Shetland Islands Council’s harbour board on Wednesday.
All of them were investigated and reports were received.
Five incidents were reported to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) but further investigation was not deemed necessary.
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