Fortunately for the HHA, it was able to deploy for the first time in a real-life scenario it's new £900,000 oil spill recovery vessel Haven Hornbill, which was delivered by Portchester UK based VT Halmatic only last summer. The first ever example of Halmatic's new steel-built Multi Role Vessel (MRV) range, the Haven Hornbill was recovering oil within an hour of the spill's discovery. Proving the worth of a substantial investment for the HHA, the vessel worked non-stop for 40 hours, its rotating brushes scooping up four tonnes of oil from the water. There was no need to stop work to discharge oil as the vessel's dedicated fore and aft recovered oil tanks have a total capacity of 74,000 litres.

The operation was difficult because the spillage included diesel, heavy black oil, and hydraulic oil, some of which was extremely thinly spread as a sheen on the water. Conservancy Harbour Master Ian Mace expressed satisfaction with the Haven Hornbill's ability to react quickly to changing events, its high level of manoeuvrability which gave the coxswain confidence when operating with the booms deployed, and the minimal amount of water which was recovered with the oil. The craft's relatively shallow draft increased the working time envelope in shallow tidal areas.

'Having convinced the Board to spend almost one million pounds on a vessel with a special oil clean-up role, it was great to see it working 100% efficiently', said HHA chief executive Nigel Pryke.

The successful operation paid tribute to HHA's plan, which is regularly tested and checked in every detail. Last year the Haven Hornbill participated in a major exercise involving English Nature, the Environment Agency, the MCA, and Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL), which is HHA's 'Tier 2' contractor under OPRC.

The Haven Oil Working Group (HOWG), which also includes the HHA as well as local government departments and other groups, co-operates and shares resources if there is spill in the harbour.

Within a very short time of the spillage, an emergency room was set up at HHA's operations centre and all the relevant authorities and groups including the RSPB, RSPCA and the county wildlife trusts were involved. The environmentally sensitive Stour and Orwell estuaries provide winter feeding grounds for thousands of wading birds and wildfowl. Some swans downriver died as a result of the pollution and a number of oiled birds were rescued.

There will now be a detailed review of the entire response operation and feedback will be used to decide whether operational procedures need to be changed or reviewed in any area.

MJ Information No: 17924