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Oil Spill Exercise

OIL SPILL EXERCISE AT CHICHESTER HARBOUR

A road tanker spilling thousands of litres of diesel into Chichester Harbour was the scenario for an oil spill exercise.

Staff from Chichester Harbour Conservancy working with Langstone Harbour Board, Hampshire County Council, Havant Borough Council and other partners enacted a potential oil spill as part of ongoing training. A scene where a diesel tanker, involved in an accident on Langstone Bridge, was leaking up 3,000 litres of diesel into the harbour was given to staff who then had to go into action to manage and contain the spill.

Oil booming equipment held by the Conservancy was quickly deployed. This was supplemented by a larger boom supplied by Adler and Allen, a specialist oil spill response service. The larger boom took just 20 minutes to get into place which would have effectively contained the majority of the spill. In a real situation, the oil would then have been skimmed off the surface of the water.

Harbour Master, Richard Craven who led the exercise said, 'We organise this training every three years. It is valuable as a way to test our emergency plans and to make sure that all staff are fully trained and ready to deal with any potential oil spills. In such environmentally sensitive waters, it is essential that we work quickly to prevent or manage any significant threat to wildlife and vulnerable habitats'.

 

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