Don Descoteau
VICTORIA NEWS
The environmental consequences of spilling 30,000 litres of light fuel into the Georgia Strait during an internal transfer aboard HMCS Calgary may not be the same as if it were bunker oil.
The Royal Canadian Navy, however, is taking SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 incident aboard the naval vessel just as seriously.
B次元官网网址淎s far as weB次元官网网址檙e concerned, any spill is one spill too many,B次元官网网址� said Lt.-Com. John Nethercott, senior public affairs officer at Maritime Forces Pacific.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e treating this the same way we treat any spill.B次元官网网址�
Four smaller ORCA-class training vessels were dispatched Monday to the area in question, with five specific areas to investigate between Greater Victoria and Parksville, Nethercott said. The ships can get into tighter areas than frigates such as the Calgary, to be able to check shorelines.
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Representatives from the Canadian Coast Guard and provincial environment specialists are on board to help in the detection phase and direct any immediate actions that need to be taken. B次元官网网址淧lus weB次元官网网址檝e fitted out the ORCAS with extra equipment to soak up any fuel they might find,B次元官网网址� Nethercott said.
The F76 type fuel is believed to have been released from the Calgary between 3 and 8 a.m. during a re-fueling operation, according to the Ministry of Environment. This type of fuel is similar to kerosene and quickly evaporates.
B次元官网网址淭he spill was reported to have started near Parksville and ended approximately 100km southeast, just west of Tsawwassen,B次元官网网址� the report stated. No sheen was observed, and Environment Canada determined there would B次元官网网址渓ikely be no impactB次元官网网址� to the shoreline.
The navyB次元官网网址檚 investigation into how the spill happened B次元官网网址� crew members were believed to be transferring fuel from one tank to another, possibly for ballast reasons B次元官网网址� will help determine whether it was human or procedural error, or a technical issue, Nethercott said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e a learning organization. Sometimes you have to learn the lessons the hard way and this is one of those times,B次元官网网址� he said.
On Feb 24, reported a fuel spill of approx. 30,000L while at sea. We are coordinating with , , and EMBC to ensure necessary actions are taken and information gathered to support further investigation.
B次元官网网址� MARPAC/FMAR(P) (@MARPAC_FMARP)
On Sunday, Environment Canada stated that its calculations B次元官网网址減redicted a quick dispersion of the fuel due to sea conditions and the continuous movement of the vessel during the release.B次元官网网址�
BC Ferries, Harbour Air and the public were also alerted to look to signs of the spill and report them to the Maritime Forces PacificB次元官网网址檚 Regional Joint Operations Centre at 250-363-5848.
B次元官网网址� with files from Nanaimo B次元官网网址 Bulletin
