Environment: Diesel Recovery From Stricken Boat ‘Difficult’

Tag : diesel

An as-yet undetermined amount of the estimated 8000 litres ofdiesel in two large tanks aboard the vessel when it ran aground hassince escaped.
Officials’ attempts to recover the remaining fuel are beinghampered by the fact the Kumea II is stuck on its side in the surfline, giving them an extremely narrow window of opportunity to gainaccess to the boat – and the fuel - each day.
Jim Lyle, the Northland Regional Council’s Opua-based DeputyRegional Harbourmaster, says effectively officials can gain accessto the stricken vessel for only about one hour at a time on the lowtides at the beginning and end of the day.
He says the initial focus has to be the safe removal of anyremaining diesel as well as other lubricants and engine oils to tryto minimise potential environmental harm but this is an extremelydifficult task in the circumstances.
However, recovery plans are in place and several Kaitaia andOpua-based Regional Council staff – together with thevessel’s Auckland-based insurance assessor _ hope to be ableto get back on board the Kumea II about 4pm today to recover asmany contaminants as possible.
Mr Lyle says the 24-year-old wooden-hulled vessel is strong and atthis stage remains intact despite having been battered by the surfthrough several tidal cycles since running aground.
He says lifting gear will be on-site at the beach this afternoonbut the grounding site and size of the vessel – together withthe fact it is now filled with tonnes of water and sand – maymake recovery in one piece difficult.

Mr Lyle says locals have been helping officials recover debris– including the vessel’s buoys and fish bins –from the beach.
Regional Council staff have also been recovering diesel-soakedropes and other contaminated materials from the vessel itself andcleaning up other matter from the beach.
He says while the escape of any diesel from the vessel is aconcern, the light nature of diesel compared to other oils means itbreaks up very quickly in the rough seas in the area and isunlikely to cause any lasting environmental damage.

ENDS