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MSPs to question oil spillage company

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Published Date: 01 March 2007
By KATRINE BUSSEY
MSPs yesterday agreed to contact the firm hoping to carry out oil transfers in the Firth of Forth after it was accused of trying to hoodwink Holyrood.
SPT Marine Services wants to pump about 7.8 million tonnes of Russian crude oil a year between tankers anchored four miles off the coast.

But the proposals have sparked an angry reaction from people living along the coast, who fear any spillage could seriously damage the environment.

Last week the Greens claimed the firm had failed to tell the Scottish Parliament about an incident in 1995, in which 35,000 gallons of oil were spilled in the Gulf of Mexico.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell wrote to members of Holyrood's environment committee about the accident, in which a tanker owned by SPT was in a collision with another vessel.

Mr Ruskell said it left oil on beaches and led to a £1.6 million lawsuit. He called on the committee to investigate.

The committee has agreed to write to SPT Marine Services and to Forth Ports, in whose harbour-authority area the transfers would take place.



The full article contains 189 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

Ted,

01/03/2007 07:36:48

I wouldn't trust this company to pour wine from one glass to another. Over the kitchen sink.

2

The laird.,

from leadhills. 01/03/2007 14:12:36

there is nothing that can be done about it the location of the forth estuary comes under westminster durisdiction, after mr reid anexed 300sq mls of territorial water,s in the north sea to london this is the price the scottish people paid to buy this guy the home secretary,s job in london. And the firm from sunderland that have won the contract can go ahead regardless of the execuatives decision,s. Mr reid might hand over the west coast water,s if he is promised the next prime minister,s job. that would save the unionist parties worrying about the trident base in the future sould scotlind decide to go for Independence.

3

Verity,

Ipswich 01/03/2007 18:37:47

Am I missing the point here? I thought the company were involved in a navigational incident and not an oil spill as a result of their ship to ship oil transfer activities?
Surely the questions that should be asked are how much oil has been spilled as a result of their ship to ship operations? How does this compare with industry statistics and most importantly what are these critical facts in relation to existing activities re ship to ship oil tansfer in Sullum Voe where the waters are less favourable to such transfers? Why is the Firth of Forth more important i.e. why is this form of transfer so acceptable elsewhere in Scotland and happening without event and yet so wrong for the Forth?

4

Nimby,

Stirling 01/03/2007 21:58:18

Dear Verity - the Forth transfers will bring no benefit to Scotland - only danger of an oil spillage. Why don't you offer to have them on the River Orwell?

5

Verity,

Ipswich 02/03/2007 11:13:00

Nimby
Happy to, they are already conducted off the coast of Norfolk...without incident I understand.


 

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