Heavy oil spill in harbour

UPDATE 6.38pm: Slicks of oil are streaming down Tauranga harbour on the outgoing tide, after a spill from a ship. Rain and high winds are creating problems for oil spill responders dealing with a heavy fuel oil spill in Tauranga Harbour.

Reports are coming into SunLive of oil washed up on beaches and boats throughout the eastern side end of Tauranga, as far up harbour as Welcome Bay and Maungatapu. Oil is ashore around the southern estuaries, after flooding in with the tide and driven by strong winds.

Tell us what you know; phone the news hotline 0800 SUNLIVE - send photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz

The oil spill occurred earlier today when a ship was bunkering at the Port of Tauranga. An oil slick was spotted by Bridge Marina staff who contacted Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Pollution Hotline and the Port.

Stormy conditions haven't dispersed a long slick of oil inside the southern breakwater of Bridge Marina.

A SunLive reporter at the scene says there are streams of oil in the Town Reach tonight and long slicks on the leeward sides of the Bridge Marina breakwaters.

Regional Council oil spill On Scene Commander Adrian Heays said severe weather was hampering oil retrieval. Some booms were proving ineffective in the high winds and heavy seas, so staff were using the best booms for the conditions.

It appeared an oil line on a berthed ship had leaked and oil spilled near berths further along. Once the spill was spotted bunkering was stopped, and responders were attempting to get under the wharf to fix the leak.

'At this stage we don't have any idea how much oil was lost. This means there could be oil coming ashore on beaches, and on boats.

'We would appreciate people who spot oil on their boat or on beaches to contact the Regional Council's Pollution Hotline on 0800 884 883 so we can determine where the oil is spreading to.”

He said the spill occurred on an incoming tide, and the tide had now turned, which could mean the oil would be taken out to sea. So far four streams had been spotted heading towards the railway bridge. However conditions were bad and cleaning up the spill was proving difficult.

'We have staff working on it, and have notified Maritime New Zealand.”

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7 comments

I wonder

Posted on 27-04-2015 18:35 | By How about this view!

If we will have our scaremongering Rena removers, wanting to close the port?


Here

Posted on 27-04-2015 18:55 | By Capt_Kaveman

Comes a slap on the hand


ban ships from the port

Posted on 28-04-2015 09:24 | By Ron

By the same logic that we cannot have the economic activity of drilling for oil because there might be an oil spill we should ban ships from our coastline because they spill oil. First the Rena and now this. Ban the ships I say!


So

Posted on 28-04-2015 09:55 | By NZgirl

Will the Port of Tauranga be fined????? As the council has a very big shareholders stake in this company


Oil leak?

Posted on 28-04-2015 10:30 | By YOGI BEAR

Oh another one? Hmmm guess that will end up under the carpet to as usual.


Today's technology

Posted on 28-04-2015 15:23 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

should not have let this sort of thing happen. Pressure sensing valves and alarms should have alerted to the spillage occurring.


rapid containment response team

Posted on 01-05-2015 12:24 | By Maria M

Its easy. Set it up. Its our beautiful bay of plenty clean green an regular oils spill without a team set up to save out environment and wildlife. we owe it to the wildlife am marine life. Tomorrow never come action something today before theirs another error buy man that trashes our beautiful Bay of Plenty.There are empty sheds at the wharf that could house spill Booms that are light weight, easy to handle, can be deployed in all types of weather.At least try to contain the spill, before it spreads an does damage. A rapid response team is not a maybe but needed in every port in NZ to keep us clean an green. ASAP I need a job hire me


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