The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Nick Cutmore, Secretary-General at the International Maritime Pilots Association, has warned that shipping accidents are not cheap and a crude oil spill by a tanker could be very costly and disastrous for the Bahamas.

While in Freeport, Mr Cutmore expressed concerns about the number of maritime accidents and narrow escapes that have occurred in the country, particularly in Grand Bahama.

Last September, the Formosa Falcon tanker carrying almost 13 tons of alkalyte went aground off the coast of Eight Mile Rock. The vessel had been grounded at the bow for almost two weeks. Fortunately, the hull remained intact and there was no evidence of a spill or emission of the product into the water.

During the same week, a vessel anchored at sea damaged an underwater cable.

The latest incident occurred just two weeks ago when two vessels anchored at sea collided when the current changed.

The Bahamas Maritime Pilots Association invited Mr Cutmore to the Bahamas to speak at a forum on Best Practices, International Maritime Organisation Standards, Insurance Requirements, and Safety and Training Guidelines on Monday.

Mr Cutmore said the IMPA is not a trade union, but rather a professional technical body that is only interested in safety outcomes. He said marine pilots are represented at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for purely professional reasons. He believes that the current state of pilotage in Freeport is not at the level it should be.

“It is clearly not as good as it ought to be,” he said. “There is a big hole in the necessary structure to run an effective pilotage service.”

Mr Cutmore applauded the efforts of the BMPA as it seeks to bring about higher standards and better quality of service for marine pilots in Freeport. He said concerns were raised about “the economic impact that either a serious accident would cause and the general nervousness in the industry about the absence of rigour here in terms of safety”.

The IMPA official said the Bahamas is a beautiful place and more needs to be done to protect it from possible maritime accidents.

Mr Cutmore talked about the devastation caused by the Torrey Cannon oil spill in the UK, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. He said the Torrey Cannon spill of 1967 is one of the world’s most serious oil spills. As of 2014, it remains the UK’s most worst, with an estimated 32 million gallons of crude oil spilled.

“It was one of the first big tankers to end up in rocks, and the oil pollution was so bad the air force bombed the wreck in an attempt to burn it off,” he said.

Mr Cutmore noted that the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in 1989 was caused when vessel ran aground.

“No (marine) pilots were onboard, he said. The company decided that it did not need pilots.”

The ship was carrying approximately 55 million US gallons (210,000 m3) of oil, of which about 10.1 to 11 million US gallons (240,000 to 260,000 bbl; 38,000 to 42,000 m3) were spilled into the Prince William Sound. It was considered one of the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters, until the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Mr Cutmore said many people in Alaska relied on fishing for their livelihood, which was destroyed.

“The cost of removing the oil and compensation to fishermen and all parties and costs would have paid for all pilots in the US in perpetuity,” he said.

According to reports, Exxon spent an estimated $2 billion cleaning up the spill and a further $1 billion to settle related civil and criminal charges.

He said the Costa Concordia, which ran aground in January 2012, is estimated to cost in excess of the $1 million.

“That is just taking the hull away, can you imagine a tanker of that size,” he said.

The Freeport Container Port is one of the largest transshipment ports in the region. Freeport Harbour is one of the deepest man-made ports in the world.

“I have seen the density of the traffic here (in Freeport) and heard enough about the failings in structure and procedure, and the absence of clarity, and of transparency to really feel strong about this.

“People in Europe are very cognisant of what crude oil does to beaches. So, I have heard a lot of things today, and I really want to applaud what I am hearing from the BMPA which is interested in better standards and training,” he said.

The Bahamas Oil Refining Company has previously said it is committed to maintaining a safe and efficient work environment for its employees. It has also accused the BMPA of distorting the facts to support its cause.

The company said its pilotage programme is designed to meet the specific needs of their business and their customers, while maintaining safe and professional vessel operations.