Tanker collides with jetty

The incident happened at Seal Sands on Teesside

Union officials are blaming foreign tugmen for an incident in which an oil tanker hit a jetty on Teesside.

The Finnish-registered Palve collided with a jetty at the Conoco Phillips site at Seal Sands, near Middlesbrough.

The Tees harbourmaster said the collision ripped a 20-foot hole in the vessel's bow.

Union officials say Danish tugmen were in charge of the vessel at the time because Tees-based workers are involved in a pay dispute.

Not loaded

A harbour spokesman said: "A Finnish registered oil tanker, the Palva, made contact with one of the mooring dolphins while she was berthing.

"It is very unusual for us to have contact incidents of this type.

"The vessel is double-skinned and was not loaded. She has now gone to another port for repairs."

A spokesman for the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) said Danish employers Svitzer had brought in their own tugmen because of the dispute.

He said: "You can only see the situation deteriorating, which could have a real impact on the whole of the chemical and petrochemical industry here."

Bonus claim

Union general secretary Bill Morris is being asked to intervene in the dispute.

No-one from Conoco Phillips or Svitzer was available for comment.

Tug workers have been awarded 3% on their basic pay rates, but want this to be extended to bonuses and other remuneration.

They have voted for industrial action, including no rest day working and strict conformity to rotas.