(WCMRC)

By Ian Holmes

fuel spill update

Cargo vessel cleared to leave Nanaimo following recent spill, shoreline clean-up continues

Aug 4, 2023 | 4:07 PM

NANAIMO — While officials don’t know how much fuel from a docked cargo ship spilled into Nanaimo’s harbour late last month, no negative impacts to wildlife have been reported so far.

An update on a multi-partner coordinated clean-up was made at the the West Coast Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) administration building, located adjacent to the fuel spill site.

Jason Desroisiers, federal incident commander for the Canadian Coast Guard, said following the spill of the docked vessel at the Nanaimo Assembly Wharf on July 26, more than 12 hundred meters of shoreline and docks were assessed and about 600 meters treated.

“As of today, August 4, cleaning was completed on areas of Newcastle Island (Saysutshun), Cameron Island pier and infrastructure and shorelines around the BC Ferries dock.”

He clarified the spill area spanned from the Nanaimo Estuary to the south and Saysutshun to the north.

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Shoreline clean-up work continued late Friday afternoon in the area around the B.C Ferries terminal opposite Port Place Shopping Centre.

Crews focused on oil removal on rocks beside the downtown Nanaimo BC Ferries terminal on Friday, Aug. 4. (Submitted photo)

Those efforts will continue, Desroisiers said, including wildlife monitoring for an undetermined amount of time.

Desroisiers said Transport Canada had detained the vessel, which was rescinded on Thursday after a clean hull was reported and the ship was in full compliance of the Canadian Shipping Act in order to leave Nanaimo and resume operations.

The offending vessel belongs to Newman Shipping Agency, Desroisiers stated.

“At all times they have affected an appropriate response and they’re responsible under the Marine Liability Act for all costs incurred for the incident,” Desroisiers said of representatives of the Belgian-based company.

He emphasized a unified oil response effort with multiple partners remains in effect with crews focused on shoreline clean-up.

Responding to the spill provided challenges since many areas are uneven, hard surfaces, Desroisiers said.

He noted further details on any potential impacts on wildlife, the environment and how much fuel spilled will be released when those details are available.

Nanaimo Port Authority harbour master Satinder Singh said all of their partners came together quickly and effectively responded to the incident.

“It was perfect, couldn’t have done better,” Singh said of a unified command structure still in place involving the Nanaimo Port Authority, Snuneymuxw First Nation, WCMRC, Canadian Coast Guard and province.

On Wednesday, July 26 the Maipo River cargo ship spilled an unknown amount of heavy marine fuel during a fuel transfer, a sanctioned activity within Nanaimo Port Authority property.

Multiple WCMRC and Canadian Coast Guard crews responded to contain the spill area with a visible sheen of oil visible around the Nanaimo cruise ship terminal area.

The Maipo River vessel is expected to leave Nanaimo early Friday evening.

Jason Desroisiers (left) and Satinder Singh met with local reporters to discuss the response to a recent fuel spill in Nanaimo’s harbour. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes