§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the results of the inquiry held into the oil spillage at Immingham in September; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David MitchellIt is not the practice to publish reports on marine casualties, which are prepared for consideration within my Department.
The inspector has completed his investigation into the circumstances of this incident and his report is now being considered. It appears that on 27 September 1983 the partially laden Iranian tanker Sivand arrived off the Immingham oil terminal. In manoeuvring alongside the vessel came against a mooring dolphin which eventually collapsed; Sivand then struck a second dolphin, which also collapsed, and continued to move towards the jetty, a third contact occurred which resulted in the rupture of a cargo tank and oil spillage. The tanker was eventually berthed and arrangements were put in hand to deal with the leakage of oil. My Department will consider the implications of this casualty and take any appropriate further action in the interests of marine safety.
A report of the counter-pollution measures taken by my Departments marine pollution control unit is being prepared and will be made available.