Council staff take part in an exercise that included some new and existing equipment. Photo: Supplied / Waikato Regional Council
Emergency responders are optimistic about new technology designed to contain marine oil spills.
Waikato Regional Council has been testing new equipment during a marine oil spill exercise in Raglan.
It included a floating drum oil skimmer that can remove up to 40 tonnes of oil an hour, and a holding tank capable of holding 5000 litres of oil.
The new equipment has been paid for by an oil pollution levy collected from industry to run Maritime New Zealand's oil pollution preparedness and response system.
Waikato Regional Council senior emergency management officer Derek Hartley said the new technology reduced the cleanup time significantly.
He said the risk of oil spills in New Zealand was real.
Regional councils were responsible for tier 2 oil spills which were within 12 nautical miles of the coastline and/ or were likely to cost no more than $250,000 for the response and cleanup.
The testing of equipment for the exercise was part of a response to the mock sinking of a charter boat, Faugh A Ballagh, which was leaking oil into the marine environment.
In the scenario, Faugh A Ballagh had 800 litres of marine diesel oil on board and another 120 litres of heavier hydraulic and sump oils. The deck of the charter vessel was below the water line.
Staff from all areas of the council took part, including specialists in emergency management, maritime safety, health and safety, coastal and marine science and communications.
"Rapid deployment of booms to contain oil is key because it takes some time to unload and set up all the gear, and while that is going on we're gathering as much intelligence as we can to guide our planning and next steps," Hartley said.
"Everything is taken into consideration. What's the wind doing, what's the tide doing, the weather? Are there any sites of significance, shellfish beds, what marine wildlife needs protecting? This is where local knowledge is invaluable, and we really welcome input."
He said other factors that had to be planned for included: the fate of the vessel, the possible use of divers and whether shellfish would be safe to eat.
"And, in the meantime, the community are, quite rightly, watching closely and the media will always take a keen interest, and that is great because we should all be concerned when oil is spilled into our environment."
The council carried out two exercises a year to ensure its resources and skills were up to the standards required by Maritime New Zealand, Hartley said.