|
21 January 2010
A DATE has been set for an emergency response exercise in
which a tanker anchored off Gulberwick drags its anchor and
is driven ashore.
Shetland Islands Council's harbour board heard on Wednesday
that a one and a half day tabletop exercise will be held on
16 and 17 September.
The event is being held in response to the many calls for
such an exercise amidst concern raised by local communities
and councillors who have said that the tankers anchored just
outside Lerwick harbour posted a risked to the island
community.
Tankers east of Shetland's south mainland are either lying
empty while they wait to pick up a cargo from the Foinaven
field, west of Shetland, or are fully laden while traders
speculate on the price of the oil they carry. |
The exercise will involve
the council, the police, the maritime and coastguard agency
(MCA), Lerwick Port Authority, Sullom Voe Terminal and the
environmental group KIMO.
A shoreline response centre is to be established in response
to the pollution incident.
"This will allow the organisations involved to test and
validate their plans in a multi-agency exercise, address a
large scale pollution incident outside Sullom Voe and the
response that is required by the organisations involved," a
report written by emergency planning officer Ingrid Gall
said.
|
