Oil disaster 'could happen again'

The Sea Empress disaster polluted more than 100 miles of coastline

The UK's coastline is still vulnerable to another massive oil spill like the Sea Empress disaster because planning is inadequate, a report says.

The study commissioned by environmental group WWF said there was a lack of emergency vessels in the Irish Sea.

It also voiced concern at a dramatic increase in ship-to-ship oil transfers.

The findings come on the 10th anniversary of the tanker Sea Empress running aground off the coast of Wales, spilling 72,000 tonnes of crude oil.

The report found that coastal planning and protection measures were not keeping up with the changing risks from shipping in UK waters.

The dramatic increase in the number of ship-to-ship oil transfers was of particular concern, said Simon Walmsley, head of WWF-UK Marine.

"From a layman's point of view it looks very dangerous, and from an expert's point of view it still looks fairly dangerous.

"What we need is a full and proper risk assessment of how ship-to-ship transfers work, then we can understand how to deal with it and monitor it better.

"The last assessment was carried out in 1997, and things have changed vastly since then."

Dr Walmsley said vessels used to transfer oil in this way for logistical reasons: "Ships did this in order to lighten their load, enabling them to enter shallow ports and harbours.

"Now they are doing it because it is big business because the Balkan oil fields have really opened up to the global markets."

'Lessons learned'

Another risk highlighted in the report was the lack of emergency vessel cover in the Irish Sea area.

EXTENT OF SEA EMPRESS SPILL Click here for images of the Sea Empress disaster

"The nearest one is in Falmouth, in Cornwall. Even in good sea conditions, it would take around 10-12 hours to get to Milford Haven where the Sea Empress went aground," said Dr Walmsley.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, responsible for safety around the UK's 10,500 miles of coastline, said it was unable to comment directly on the report because it had not seen it.

However, the agency did list a number of measures that had been implemented since the Sea Empress disaster, including:

• The introduction in 2001 of year-round Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs), stationed at Dover, Stornoway, the Fair Isle Channel, and Falmouth
• Legislation enabling magistrates to impose a fine of up to £250,000 on either the master or ship-owner for an oil pollution offence
• New powers to intervene in salvage operations within UK waters involving vessels or fixed platforms where there was a significant risk of pollution
• The accelerated phasing out of single hull oil tankers

On Monday, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling unveiled 32 locations around the UK coast that had been identified as Marine Environment High Risk Areas (MEHRAs).

The scheme highlights environmentally sensitive sites that are at risk from pollution, and where ship operators are expected to take extra care.

The introduction of the MEHRAs follows recommendations made by the late Lord Donaldson in his report into the Braer tanker disaster off the Shetland Islands in 1993.

Dr Walmsley said the WWF report was published on the anniversary of the Sea Empress disaster to highlight the risks of increased traffic in some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

"We are highlighting lessons learned; we don't want another disaster of that magnitude."