Barge launched to tackle oil spills

A skimmer barge designed to clean up oil spills will be stationed at Marsden Point from March.

Oil spills from the Jody F Millennium in Gisborne in 2002 and the Tai Ping in Bluff in the same year highlighted the need for on-water capability to deal with spills, the Maritime Safety Authority (MSA) said.

Spokesman Steve Corbett said the MSA had taken delivery of New Zealand's first mobile skimmer which would be based at Marsden Point in March.

Planning, designing and construction of the state-of-the-art $200,000 skimmer, built in Kumeu by Bos and Carr, took more than 18 months, he said.

The New Zealand Refining Company, which runs the Marsden Point oil refinery, had agreed to lease the skimmer from the MSA as part of its oil spill response plan.

MSA marine pollution response services manager Neil Rowarth said the 8.2 metre long by 2.4 metre wide skimmer barge had been based on an American design.

"We had to make some modifications, it (the barge) had to fit in a Hercules so it can been transported quickly around the country," Mr Rowarth said.

He said the Jody F Millennium and Tai Ping incidents had identified a need for a skimmer that was able to chase the oil.

Strong currents during sea trials at the Te Atatu Peninsula in December had proved no obstacle for the new barge.

"We were out in 25 to 30 knots and it handled the conditions well, it was up to our expectations," Mr Rowarth said.

The skimmer barge was designed for harbour work and would suit the Whangarei Harbour "really well," he said.

The skimmer had a top speed of about 25 knots when empty so would have a good response time to a spill in or around the harbour, Mr Rowarth said.

Skimmer operators from Marsden Point and Northland Regional Council staff will be trained in February before the new vessel makes its home at Marsden Point in March.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)