Abaco Oil Spill Threatens Harbour

Over 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from the deck of the MV Legacy into the sea while the vessel was moored at the government dock in Marsh Harbour yesterday morning. The atmosphere surrounding the harbour was thick with the diesel odour into the early evening

An oil tank owned by Bahamas Electricity Corporation rolled over, landing on a metal guardrail which punctured two holes in the tank, spilling the fuel and fouling the waters of one of the Bahamas' most beautiful harbours.

Containment procedures have already begun but there is real concern about the damage this can do to the maritime life in the harbour; the yachting trade, the seabirds, and the fish in the harbour.

Captain Cyril Roker, port director, claims that the spill was an "unavoidable accident" and not due to negligence or carelessness of the workers. The tank was being repositioned when the accident occurred. Maybe it could have been avoided if the port were better equipped, or the crew had more experience in handling such a large and potentially hazardous cargo. The method used to ship and handle these tanks need to be reevaluated.