Exercise to ensure capability in marine oil spill situation

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A marine oil spill exercise is being held at Kaiti Beach today.

The exercise is based on a scenario where a private launch has anchored just off the rocks at Kaiti Beach after losing power coming into the region. The launch has 400 litres of diesel and 50 litres of hydraulic fluids on board – all in the bilge.

The exercise is being headed by Tairāwhiti regional on-scene commander Phil Nickerson and includes staff from Gisborne District Council and the Marine Pollution Response Service.

Mr Nickerson said the exercise would be based on Kaiti Beach, with an emergency operations centre set up at Gisborne Yacht Club.

Booms were to be deployed and an environmental assessment done.

The inter-agency exercise is to ensure seamless and efficient capability should there be an oil spill in this region.

Annually there are around 200 oil spills across New Zealand. Most are from human error.

It will also help with ongoing education in the community.

Under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 Gisborne District Council is responsible for responding to oil spills in the coastal marine area within 12 nautical miles out to sea from the Gisborne / East Coast coastline.

The Maritime Transport Act requires all regional councils to have a regional oil spill contingency plan. Gisborne District Council’s plan is on its website.

All reports of oil spills or shipping incidents within the Gisborne / East Coast coastal marine area need to be immediately reported to the council at 0800 653 800 or 867-2049.