Transportation U.K. counts cost of oil spill from Sea Empress

The extent of environmental damage was coming into focus last week in the aftermath of the big tanker spill near the U.K.'s Milford Haven harbor. With cleanup under way, U.K. authorities plan to seek the cause of the grounding of the Sea Empress tanker on rocks outside the harbor. The 147,000 metric ton vessel struck the South Wales coast in bad weather Feb. 15. It was carrying 132,000 metric tons of crude oil, much of it lost to sea before the ship was refloated Feb. 22 (OGJ, Feb. 26, p.

March 4, 1996

3 min read

The extent of environmental damage was coming into focus last week in the aftermath of the big tanker spill near the U.K.'s Milford Haven harbor.

With cleanup under way, U.K. authorities plan to seek the cause of the grounding of the Sea Empress tanker on rocks outside the harbor.

The 147,000 metric ton vessel struck the South Wales coast in bad weather Feb. 15. It was carrying 132,000 metric tons of crude oil, much of it lost to sea before the ship was refloated Feb. 22 (OGJ, Feb. 26, p. 45).

The vessel, operated by Acomarit (U.K.) Ltd., Glasgow, has been moored at an unused jetty in Milford Haven harbor, where unloading of remaining cargo was under way last week. About 22,000 metric tons of oil had been transferred from Sea Empress to a products tanker, and a similar volume was to be removed.

Still on the schedule are detailed inspection for damage and contacting of shipyards for estimates of the cost of repairs.

"We got the impression Sea Empress can be repaired," said an Acomarit spokesman. "Her engine rooms and systems appeared to be in good shape, and the ship entered the harbor under its own power."

The U.K. Department of Transport's marine accident investigations branch tested the ship's steering and found it functional.

Government investigation

Transport Sec. George Young announced plans for an investigation into the salvage operation, conceding that mistakes may have been made during the operation. This was a change of position for the government, apparently after a public outcry. The government said earlier it planned only to investigate why the tanker went aground in the first place.

The Acomarit spokesman said there is a big question over whether the tanker should have been going into the harbor on a low tide. "This was a decision for the pilot and harbor master."

Acomarit reportedly paid into the Skuld P&I Club to cover the first round of claims from any spill. A compensation fund would then pay a second round of compensation, and an oil industry fund would pay a third round. As much as $115 million is said to be available.

Wildlife toll

Meanwhile, cleanup teams were tackling a 70,000 metric ton spill that blackened an estimated 35 miles of coastline and began to hit bird sanctuaries and wildlife.

BBC radio said the cost of cleaning up the oil slick had been estimated at 10 million ($15 million).

A Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) official said compensation for the earlier Braer tanker spill amounted to 40-50 million ($60-75 million), "...but we've talked to some people who expect it to be well above this for the Sea Empress."

The Braer ran aground in the Shetland Islands off northern Scotland in January 1993. During a few days the vessel broke up on rocks, spilling more than 80,000 metric tons of crude oil in U.K.'s biggest tanker spill (OGJ, Jan. 11, 1993, p. 26).

The RSPB official said on Feb. 27 about 4,500 oiled birds had been found so far in the Milford Haven area, and the toll was "growing daily and quickly." RSPB expects 7,000-8,000 oiled birds to be recovered before the slick is cleaned up, "...but we will have no idea how many will simply sink to the bottom."

One press report said about 30 gray seals, normally resident on the Skomer Island bird sanctuary off the coast west of Milford Haven, had been seen swimming in oil.