The 20th anniversary of a major oil spill in Scottish waters is a reminder of the need to be vigilant about environmental and safety issues in the North Sea. That was the message from Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead yesterday as he highlighted the fate of the tanker Braer, which ran aground off Shetland in January 1993. The disaster caused 85,000 tonnes of oil to pour into the sea, making it one of the world's biggest oil spills.
The Caribbean region including Jamaica and other "Small Island Developing States" lack the resources to combat a major oil spill, delegates to a regional convention on oil spill prevention and response have been warned.
The UK Government's energy minister has pledged that more information about oil and gas spills in the North Sea will be made public.
Energy giant Taqa Bratani is under investigation following a major oil spill in the North Sea.
The offshore industry has pledged to help tackle maritime emergencies as part of plans to find a replacement for the Highlands and islands' coastguard tugs.
A HERCULES aircraft and two ships capable of dealing with a potential major oil spill have been put on standby as Shell continues its battle to plug a North Sea leak.