Russia denies Responsibility for Oil Spill at Sea

The Irish Department of Transport & the Marine says that the serious oil spillage in the Celtic Sea (see yesterday's entry) - off the southern coast of Ireland - is now around 30 nautical miles (ca. 55 km) from land.

Coast Guard surveillance established that the slick contains more than 520 tonnes of Russian fuel oil and is at least 6 km long and wide. It is said to be breaking up, reducing naturally and spreading over a larger area.

Yesterday the Coast Guard predicted that the slick could land on the coast of Co. Wexford within about two weeks' time. However, the latest change of conditions make this less certain. There is currently an easterly wind in the area off the Old Head of Kinsale. But winds do of course change all the time.

Irish authorities first learned about the spill last Saturday through surveillance by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), which is based in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.

Aerial surveillance conducted since then confirmed the spill, surrounding the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and its accompanying vessels: one destroyer, two tankers and an ocean-going tug.

As the Admiral Kuznetsov was refuelled at sea and no other ships have been sighted in the same area for some time, it is quite clear and obvious who is the perpetrator of this pollution. However, there are conflicting comments from different Russian military sources.

While the Russian Naval Attaché to Ireland stated that the Admiral Kuznetsov performed a fuel transfer from a supply tanker at sea when the spill took place, General Nikolai Marakov (left), the Chief of Russia's General Staff, only confirmed that a Russian aircraft carrier had refuelled in the area, but denied that there had been "any problems".
And Igor Dygalo, a spokesman for the Russian Navy, says that "there has not been any accident on board of the ships in the Celtic Sea, nor any deliberate dumping of fuel overboard".
He also disputes the size of the oil spill, adding that "it neither has a catastrophic character, nor does it constitute a threat to coastal ecology".

This is another example of the typical Russian manner of arrogantly denying established facts, a habit that has not changed since the days of the old Soviet Union, which thrived on propaganda and barefaced lies, even if there was overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

In contrast to the Russian attempts of denial and shirking responsibility, Molly Walsh of the environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth says that the slick could seriously damage marine life.

The Irish Department of Transport & the Marine expects the oil to reach the southern coast of Ireland in about 14 to 16 days. Some of it will evaporate, and the rest will most likely develop into tar balls, small sticky patches of oil that often wash ashore and cause coastal pollution and serious damage to beaches and wildlife, in particular sea birds.

John Lucey, a senior biologist with Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it is the biggest oil spill in the waters around Ireland in ten years.
The last happened in 1999, when the oil tanker Sea Empress ran aground off the south-west coast of Wales and dumped 72,000 tonnes of oil. Compared with that disaster the current oil spill is rather small, but it could nevertheless become a serious threat for the Irish south coast.

The Coast Guard took samples of the oil and experts are currently contemplating if a clean-up operation at sea is possible. This could prevent major damage to our coast and would certainly be the best option of dealing with the pollution.
The open question remains who is going to pay for it. Most likely Ireland would have to foot the bill in the first place. But whatever the costs for a clean-up at sea might be, it will be less than a large-scale clean-up of polluted coastline.
So one can only hope that our government will act quickly and decisively, and that eventually common sense will reach Russia, which - as the obvious polluter - should pay for any necessary clean-up work.

The Emerald Islander

Russian Oil Slick heads towards Irish Coast

A huge oil slick (photo above) in the Celtic Sea is heading towards the Irish coast and could reach the shore in about two weeks' time.

Ireland's Department of Transport and the Marine has confirmed that a spill of up to 1000 tonnes of fuel oil is floating just 43 nautical miles south of the Fastnet lighthouse and drifting towards the Irish mainland.

Aerial surveillance of the scene by the Waterford-based Coast Guard helicopter has established that the oil spill covers currently an area of approximately 4.5 km by 5 km, surrounding the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and a refuelling tanker of the Russian Navy (photo below).

Russia's Naval Attaché to Ireland has now confirmed that the Admiral Kuznetsov performed a fuel transfer from a Russian supply tanker at sea when the spill took place.

Meanwhile a spokesman from the Irish Department of Transport and the Marine said: "Several vessels are at the scene in the Celtic Sea at the moment. They include the Russian aircraft carrier, two refuelling tankers, one Russian ocean-going tug, one Russian destroyer, one British destroyer and the Irish Naval vessel L.É. Aisling. It is believed that the Russian Task Group may leave the Celtic Sea tomorrow, having completed their refuelling operations."

The Irish Coast Guard, in co-operation with the British Coastguard, is now carrying out aerial pollution surveillance flights over the area. Samples of the oil have been taken from the scene to be analysed.

As soon as further information is available, I will share it with you here.

The Emerald Islander

When Emer met Emer Jane

A rather bizarre incident has been reported from the Irish coast and is now making the round in the local fishing and seafaring community in our area. Yesterday at around 12 noon the L.É. Emer (photo below), one of eight patrol vessels operated by the Irish Naval Service, approached and stopped the local fishing boat Emer Jane (the strange similarity of both names is a pure coincidence) off Hook Head in Co. Wexford, a few dozen miles from here.

L.É. Emer sent a boarding party across to her almost namesake, with orders to inspect the vessel and check for 'illegal catches'. The naval personnel discovered an amount of about 200 scallops on the deck of the Emer Jane, which the vessel had obtained as so-called 'by-catch', which is fish that is found in the nets even though a different species had been fished for.
According to current EU regulations, 'by-catches' are supposed to be thrown back overboard and not used for commercial purposes. Most 'by-caught' fish is dead by the time it is discovered in the nets. If sold, it could do some good, feeding people and keeping fishermen alive. But throwing dead fish back into the water helps no-one and does no good at all.
Whoever came up with such a totally senseless and impractical rule should be shipped out on a vessel and thrown overboard himself!

The Captain of the L.É. Emer ordered the Emer Jane to proceed under escort to the fishing port of Dunmore East in Co. Waterford, just a few miles down river from where I am now. The skipper of the Irish-owned vessel refused to follow these orders and set instead course for his home port Kilmore Quay in Co. Wexford, telling the L.É. Emer over ship-to-ship radio that they "could arrest him there" if they so wished.
Not certain what the fisherman's intention were, and concerned for the safety of his men, the CO of the L.É. Emer ordered his boarding party off the Emer Jane and let her sail on to Kilmore Quay. So - the way it looked at the moment is: L.É. Emer 0 - Emer Jane 1.

But this was not the end of it, although from now on the sequence of events is disputed between the crews of both vessels. The skipper of the Emer Jane claims that he was threatened by the naval vessel, which was apparently prepared to fire warning shots across her bow.
The crew of the L.É. Emer denies that, and Lieutenant Commander Terry Ward, spokesman for the Naval Service, stated categorically that no order to open fire was given by the CO of L.É. Emer. (Please keep in mind that all this is still about nothing more than a couple of boxes of Scallop...)

But this minor and for the world, Europe and even Ireland unimportant incident highlights a much larger and really serious problem. Our own Naval Service, as small as it is, has the purpose to defend the country in case of any attack from the sea, and to protect Irish interests in all coastal waters and anywhere else at sea. And it does usually a very good and professional job.

It should never be the purpose of the Naval Service to threaten the livelihood of our fishermen and to harass them at sea with silly inspections and the narrow interpretation of senseless EU rules. Nevertheless, the ever and ever more bureaucratic and inhumane way EU laws and regulations are formulated, interpreted and enforced makes a mockery of the idea of a free Ireland as part of a Europe of the Fatherlands, with space for everyone, his culture, lifestyle and existence.

Tensions within the Irish fishing community remain high, due to concerns over fuel prices and the continuing uncertainty over possible emergency aid from Brussels. A protest, organised by Munster MEP Kathy Sinnott (Independent) to mark the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Dublin, involved a number of the most seriously effected fishing families.
They handed out free fish to Dubliners on O'Connell Bridge, thus making themselves seen and heard to the usually indifferent general public of the capital and the political leaders of both Ireland and France.

The Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF), which was not part of the protest, made instead a submission to Monsieur Sarkozy in which it called for "root and branch reform" of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.

FIF chairman Gerard O'Flynn told the French President that despite the extensive benefits to the Irish economy from EU membership, these "did not extend to the fishing industry".
Recent significant increases in fuel costs had "brought the Irish fleet to the brink of ruin", he said.

As I am writing this, there is an angry and defiant mood in the local fishing community. Normally the relationship between Irish fishermen and the nation's maritime defence arm is quite good and friendly. But if any naval vessel would enter the port of Kilmore Quay tonight, it might not receive a very warm welcome there.
Fishermen say that the constantly rising cost of fuel makes it ever harder for them to earn a living, and they also complain that the Irish Naval Service apparently controls and inspects their boats more often and more thoroughly than French, Spanish and other foreign vessels fishing in Irish waters. If this is indeed the case, it is very hard to understand and does not make sense. If the Naval Service is to control our waters and to police the fishing activities under EU rules, the same law and regulations should apply to everyone, and in equal measures.

Once again the ignorance of our government and its lack of interest in vital elements of our rural society and economy creates problems where there should be none.
Abolishing the long-established and traditional Department of the Marine after the last general election was a major mistake. Things became even worse by handing its portfolio over to the Department of Transport under the landlubber Noel Dempsey, who comes from the southwest of county Meath and has no sense for anything maritime.

And with regards to the Defence Forces (including the Naval Service) it would help if they were to have a decent minister in charge of their department.
One still wonders if it was a practical joke by Bertie Ahern or the former Taoiseach's plain incompetence in all matters military that led to the appointment of the political comedian and Fianna Fáil hyper-loyalist Willie O'Dea to the post of Minister for Defence.

When things are going wrong, a fish begins to smell from the head downwards. Not only the Irish fishermen know what this piece of wisdom means...

The Emerald Islander

Government uses "Flag of Convenience" Ship

The Department of Defence has chartered the cargo ship MV Zeran to carry heavy material and supplies for the (currently about 70-strong) Irish Army contingent serving with the international peace-keeping force in the Republic of Chad in Central-Africa. The ship arrived at Dublin's North Quay yesterday to receive her cargo.

MV Zeran (photo) is owned by Pol-Levant, a Polish cargo shipping company based in the port of Gdansk. But the red-and-white flag that flies on her mast is not that of Poland. It is in fact the flag of Malta, where the Zeran is officially registered. And Malta, despite being now member of the EU, is still a "flag of convenience" country, where merchant ships from any country can register under most favourable conditions (for the owners) and with no questions asked.

Other popular "flag of convenience" countries are Antigua, the Bahamas, Cyprus, Liberia and Panama. Many vessels flying a "flag of convenience" are in bad condition, and on board the standards are generally lower than in ships under their own national flag. Pay and living conditions for the crew - often recruited from the poorest countries in Africa or Asia - are also much lower, and safety regulations are rarely up to the proper international standard, if they are observed at all.

Well, long gone are the good old days when we had our own Irish merchant fleet, proudly flying An Bhratach Náisiúnta. Successive Irish governments, involving all our major political parties, have sadly neglected the maritime interests of this island nation and presided over a steady decline of Irish shipping. Since the last general election the government has not even any longer a Department of the Marine. Its responsibilities have been added on to the Department of Transport, currently headed by Noel Dempsey, a TD from landlocked Co. Meath, who has no real interest in - nor any experience with - maritime matters.

I have no problem with the fact that the Department of Defence chartered a foreign ship, as there is probably at present no suitable vessel under Irish flag available. But did it have to be one flying a "flag of convenience"?

In January a representative of the International Transport Federation discussed the matter with Noel Dempsey and received promises that Ireland would be supporting the line adopted by many other EU countries and not use "flags of convenience" for official state business.
And only three weeks ago Taoiseach Bertie Ahern spoke in the Dáil against the widespread practice of using ships flying "flags of convenience".

However, when it comes to practicing what one preaches, our government is found wanting. But given the record Bertie and his ministers have on other matters, this is not really a surprise. Much is rotten on this island, and the fish - as always - starts stinking from its head.

The Emerald Islander