Council Convener Malcolm Bell has commented on the positive outcome of recent discussions with the oil industry over oil tankers anchoring near Shetland’s coast.
Shetland Islands Council, which manages the Port of Sullom Voe, has sought for many years to ensure that oil tankers stay well away from Shetland’s coast, unless they are approaching or leaving the Port, or for other essential or safety-related maritime reasons.
Towards the end of 2020, local concern was expressed about fully-loaded oil tankers anchoring south of Bressay, soon after having loaded their cargo at Sullom Voe Oil Terminal (SVT).
This change of practice prompted Shetland Islands Council to raise the matter urgently with the oil industry, including with SVT Operator Enquest, oil companies Taqa and BP Plc, shipping agents and vessel owners. These discussions have resulted in recent confirmation that in future, fully-laden oil tankers will leave Shetland’s waters after loading at Sullom Voe, or from West of Shetland, and will not lie at anchor inshore unnecessarily.
Malcolm Bell, who is also Chair of the Sullom Voe Association Ltd, said: “I’m pleased to see oil industry partners committing to protect our environment and return to the established practice of ensuring that fully laden oil tankers leave our shores. Tankers lying at anchor off the Shetland coastline while loaded with crude oil present an obvious environmental risk and it’s prudent that all parties involved take steps to minimise this.
“We’ve been in dialogue with oil companies, shipping agents and operators for some months to raise our concerns about floating oil storage and I’m glad that we’ve now reached a shared and consistent view on this. I’d like to thank our partners in the oil industry for engaging so positively with Shetland Islands Council in order to resolve this matter.”