Coastguard keep watch for oil pollution threat

SATELLITE imaging and aerial surveillance will be used

But marine emergency services were optimistic the disaster will not threaten the Irish coast.

Responsibility in providing an emergency response to maritime casualty accidents within Irish territorial waters lies with the Irish Coastguard.

Tougher national and EU laws within the past three years strengthened the powers of the emergency services to deal with pollution-threatening incidents within 200 miles of the Irish coast.

The legislation, introduced by former Marine Minister Michael Woods, also provided for increased levels of compensation of almost 250m and maximum fines of 13m for non-compliance of the regulations.

The updated legislation, unfortunately, came too late for indigenous industries and local authorities off the South-west coast when the unmanned cargo ship, the Kowloon Bridge with its engines running, ran aground off the knife-edged Stag Rocks near Baltimore in 1986.

Although it was carrying iron ore, the ship’s fuel tanks fractured and most of the 2,000 tonnes of propulsion oil aboard washed onto miles and miles of rocky coast and swept into sandy inlets causing environmental and ecological devastation.

It also created huge economic hardships for indigenous industries such as tourism and inshore fishing, while leaving Cork Co Council with a huge financial outlay for the clean-up.

Sixteen years later, many questions remain unanswered about the Kowloon Bridge shipwreck, in particular the ship’s design structure and the decision of the master and crew to abandon ship.

The absence of a salvage plan and the inaction by State departments and agencies in tackling the pollution crisis also angered local communities and wildlife action groups.

However, disasters such as the Kowloon Bridge and the more horrific Betelgeuse oil tanker explosion in Bantry Bay in 1979, which claimed 51 lives, paved the way for tougher legislation on merchant shipping.

A senior official in Cork Co Council, Ted Murphy, a member of the Irish Marine Emergency Response Team, said the volume of oil involved in the Kowloon Bridge spill was small but the damage was extensive.

“As a consequence, we all learnt a lesson in dealing with major pollution incidents and the various shipping and pollution laws were upgraded,” he said.

The response team remains under the control of the Irish Coastguard which, yesterday, confirmed contingency plans are in place to deal with any pollution threat from the Spanish shipwreck.

The slick from the 44,000 tonne-laden tank Prestige is, unfortunately, a heavy fuel oil. Being particularly viscous and persistent, it is one of the most difficult pollutants to contain.

However, Department of Marine spokesman Tom McLoughlin said current winter weather patterns rule out any immediate threat.

Based on historical data, he was optimistic the oil would not reach the Irish coastline due to prevailing ocean current and wind conditions which should not alter dramatically within the next two months.