A harbour has faced a series of a series of fuel spills this season including two separate incidents on the same day, which were swiftly contained by staff.
One of the leaks at Weymouth Harbour on 18 November originated from a newly installed fuel facility at the site, which remains out of service following the incident.
The second occurred during final testing of the new fuel pontoon’s payment system, when an underwater pipe failed, releasing diesel into the water.
Both spills triggered the harbour’s contingency plan Dorset Council’s harbours manager, Ed Carter, commended the team for their rapid response to stop it spreading.
Harbour staff responded by deploying a double-ring boom to contain the spills.
Carter confirmed that the fuel pontoon will stay inactive until repairs are completed, with an update expected in the New Year.
In each of the cases the volume of diesel entering the water was only a small amount, “a few litres, rather than tens of litres”, said committee chairman, Councillor Rob Hughes.
Mr Carter said over the summer, the harbour also experienced several minor, unexplained spills near the Commercial Road pontoons. Investigations later traced the issue to a vessel with engine problems during cold starts. That vessel has since left the harbour for winter maintenance.
