§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total tonnage of oil tankers entering the Thames estuary for each of the past five years and for the first six months of this year; and what tonnage may be expected in each of the next five years in the light of the proposed expansion of refinery capacity to existing refineries and those proposed for Canvey Island and Cliffe.
§ Mr. StrangI have been asked to reply.
Statistics relating to tankers entering the Thames estuary are collected by the Port of London Authority for those vessels destined for locations other than the Medway. The latter destinations are covered by the Port of Medway Authority. The two authorities have 289W different methods of levying dues and consequently the available statistics can not be aggregated.
The following figures have been provided by the Port of London Authority:
(1) Net registered tonnage of oil tankers entering the Thames estuary excluding Medway, including partly laden and empty vessels.
Period Millions net registered tonnage (see note below) 1968 13.6 1969 14.1 1970 14.7 1971 14.9 1972 15.9 1973 16.3 1974(1st half) 7.0 (2) Tonnages of oil moving in and out of the Thames estuary, excluding Medway.
Units millions tonnes Period Imports Exports Transhipments* Total 1968 23.1 4.1 0.8 28.0 1969 24.0 3.8 0.2 28.0 1970 24.5 4.6 0.2 29.3 1971 24.2 4.0 0.2 28.4 1972 24.0 3.5 — 27.5 1973 23.5 4.5 0.1 28.1 1974† 10.2 1.8 — 12.0 * Transhipments refers to oil brought in to the estuary and subsequently re-exported. † 1st half. The following figures have been provided by the Port of Medway authorities:
(1) Net registered tonnage of all cargo-carrying vessels importing to and exporting from the Medway.
Millions net registered tonnage (see note below) Period Imports Exports 1970 7.9 4.5 1971 7.4 4.4 1972 8.9 5.2 1973 10.5 5.3 1974 (1st half) 5.05 2.05 Just over 90 per cent. of this total is attributable to oil. Unlike the PLA empty vessels are not recorded. Statistics are not available for 1968 and 1969. (2) Tonnages of oil moving in and out of the Medway.
Units million tonnes Period Imports Exports 1968 13.9 10.9 1969 13.7 9.8 1970 13.6 9.9 1971 12.3 8.0 1972 14.5 9.4 1973 15.3 9.4 1974 (1st half) 7.3 3.6 Note: Net registered tonnage is a conventional measure of the cargo carrying capacity of a ship: 1 net registered ton is equivalent to 100 cu. ft. The denser the cargo the greater will be the actual weight capable of being carried.
290WThe Department is not in a position to give forecasts of tanker tonnage entering the Thames estuary. Information relating to existing and planned future crude distillation capacity might be used as a rough indication of the future trends in the oil tanker tonnage figures. Such statistics are available in the United Kingdom Energy Digest published by this Department and available in the Library of the House of Commons.