Esso Bernicia

 

On the 30th December, 1978, the SS "Esso Bernicia" while berthing at No. 2 tanker jetty at the port of Sullom Voe, collided with three dolphins. As a result of the collision the starboard wing bunker tank was ruptured allowing some 1,174 tons of heavy fuel oil to escape into the waters of the harbour. Considerable damage was caused to the jetty structure and to the vessel itself.

The "Esso Bernicia" was a British registered tanker of 96,903 grt, and had left the port of Milford Haven to pick up a cargo of crude oil from the port of Sullom Voe in the Shetland Islands. The vessel was carrying no cargo on her way to Sullom Voe and had 21,000 tons of clean ballast water and 39,000 tons of "dirty" (cargo tank) ballast water aboard. From Sullom Voe the vessel was scheduled to call at Slagen, Norway, to unload her cargo of crude oil.

Prior to the opening of Sullom Voe the tanker, which was built in 1968, was scheduled for break-up. Due to her size and suitability for the short haul route from Sullom Voe it was decided that the tanker's working life should be extended. In 1979, following the accident at Sullom Voe, the "Esso Bernicia" was scrapped due to the uneconomic cost of repairs.

At 23.32 hours on the 30th December 1978, as the "Esso Bernicia" was being manoeuvred into position alongside Jetty No. 2, a fire broke out aboard the "Stanechakker", one of three tugs employed in berthing the tanker. The tug is owned by Shetland Towage Limited. Because of the hazard to the tanker which the fire presented, the tow rope between the "Esso Bernicia" and the tug was released. Shortly thereafter the tanker "sheared" and collided with the jetty structure.

Following the extinguishing of the fire aboard the "Stanechakker", the now partially disabled tug, together with the two other tugs, safely berthed the "Esso Bernicia" at 03.20 hours on the 31st December 1978.

The port of Sullom Voe lies within the Sullom Voe pilotage district where pilotage for all vessels over 1,600 grt is compulsory. Shetland Islands Council, as pilotage authority for the district, employ marine officers who have amongst other duties the duty of pilotage. From the time the "Esso Bernicia" entered the pilotage district up until her final berthing at 03.20 hours on the 31st December 1978, the tanker was under the instructions of a First Class pilot employed by the port authority. This class of officer is fully experienced in handling tankers of all sizes up to the maximum size of 350,000 dwt which the port is capable is dealing with.

Initial efforts by the Shetland Islands Council harbour staff and the staff of the terminal operator BP Petroleum Development Limited to contain the oil spillage were successful. Floating booms were deployed to contain approximately 700 tons of viscous heavy fuel oil. Weather conditions were severe and the islands had experienced heavy snowfalls during the 24 hours preceding the accident. Containment of the oil continued until the 3rd January 1979, when both the boom containing the spillage and a back-up boom failed. Considerable areas of the coastline were polluted and clean-up operations took over six months to complete.

The incident served as a valuable lesson to all the parties concerned and contributed greatly to the magnificent response that everyone was able to provide when the Braer grounding occurred some 15 years later. The basis for all the emergency planning and impact assessment, as well as the response systems and procedures came from this incident.