Vancouver Harbour oil spill cleanup underway: Coast Guard
Posted January 22, 2023 2:53 pm.
The Coast Guard says approximately 60 to 100 litres of oil has spilled from a container ship Saturday in English Bay, and cleanup is underway.
In a statement, the Coast Guard said as of Sunday morning, no further fuel has leaked from the ship.
“At approximately 11:40 a.m. yesterday morning, a Harbour Air pilot notified Coast Guard of suspected marine pollution on the water near Spanish Banks, Vancouver Harbour. We assessed the area and believe the fuel originated from the container ship MV Europe,” read the statement.
An oil boom has been deployed around the ship as a precaution, and the Coast Guard says they are working “aggressively” to clean up the oil that has spilled.
“We are on the water today, and will continue to respond and manage the scene with our response partners. The ship’s owner has also activated a response and has contracted the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) to respond. As of this morning, there has been no further releases of fuel from the MV Europe and we believe the situation will remain stable, with no further releases of fuel into the marine environment. However, as a precautionary measure, boom has been deployed around the vessel, and we are prepared to act if there is a larger release of fuel,” read the statement.
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Meanwhile, the Musquem, Tsleil Waututh, Squamish, and Lyackson Nations will be be monitored and protected if needed, as they have been identified as areas of cultural sensitivity.
The Coast Guard adds they’re working with Environment Canada to assess the impact on the marine environment.
Environment Canada’s role includes identifying important environmental resources, such as wildlife and sensitive ecosystems. It also uses trajectory modelling to predict where the oil will travel on water, and how it will impact different areas.
The Coast Guard says it will release more information as soon as possible.
