It was a cold bleak March morning. The first snow of the year could be seen on Mt Arthur when a report that there was an oil spill at Port Motueka was received.
According to the report, 250 litres of marine engine oil had spilt into the water while being transferred between boats – the authorities kicked into gear.
However, the good news is that instead of an environmental disaster, it was a training exercise for the region’s maritime oil spill emergency responders.
The interagency operation involved staff from Tasman District and Nelson City Councils, the region’s two harbourmasters, alongside specialists from Port Nelson and Maritime New Zealand, to gain experience in these kinds of emergencies.
Wildlife specialists were also on hand to monitor and act should there be any potential environmental effects from a spill like this.
The aim of the day was to reinforce the skills and knowledge of existing trained responders and introduce new personnel to operational oil spill containment procedures and equipment.
Special booms were deployed to contain “oil” floating on the water, with skimmers and specialist pumps used to lift “oil” from the spillage area and separate it from the seawater.
The day-long exercise was deemed a success with the team prepared to respond to any oil spill at any time.