The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Tug boat warning before rig grounded
Maritime: BP boss told Tories towing vessel vital – as they axed safety measure
The UK Government was told by the boss of BP that a tug was required on the west coast for emergencies – five years before the Transocean Winner rig ran aground.
The UK Government was told by the boss of BP that a tug was required on the west coast for emergencies – five years before the Transocean Winner rig ran aground.
A letter obtained by the SNP has revealed that Scottish Secretary David Mundell was given the warning in December 2011 by BP’s then regional president Trevor Garlick.
At the time, UK ministers had just weeks to find a solution after granting a
“Scotland’s islands deserve better protection from maritime accidents”
temporary reprieve to Scotland’s two emergency towing vessels (ETVs), having faced widespread criticism for axeing them both.
Eleven days after the letter was sent, then Scottish Secretary Michael Moore announced that the North Sea oil industry had offered to deploy its vessels in the event of an emergency.
The letter from Mr Garlick reveals that BP had agreed in the short-term to offer its Grampian Frontier vessel, based west of Shetland, to provide cover in the event of an incident in that area.
However, the former oil boss also made it clear to Mr Mundell, who was then Scotland Office minister, that the firm could not provide any cover for the west coast.
He said: “Unfortunately we are unable to provide the support you are seeking. The location is too far from our centres of operation and therefore could not be serviced with anything other than a dedicated vessel.”
In June 2012, the UK Government announced that it would retain one of the two ETVs, scrapping the Stornoway-based tug, and moving the one at Shetland to Orkney.
Calls have continued to be made for the west coast tug to be reinstated, however, with the campaign growing since the Transocean Winner ran aground on Lewis in August.
SNP Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan said: “When a 17,000 tonne oil rig ran aground on Lewis this summer it took 18 hours for the nearest ETV to be scrambled.
“This is exactly what BP told David Mundell would be unacceptable. Scotland’s islands deserve better protection from maritime accidents than an emergency response that takes almost a full day to arrive.” A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said a newly-commissioned tug would cover the west coast. “The invitation to tender for an ETV contract has recently been sent out and this will be for an ETV to cover both the northern and Western Isles region,” she said. “Under the new contract, the vessel will carry out regular patrolling and capability-focused crew training, including around the Western Isles.”