Images show major oil spill training off Aberdeen as expert teams ‘prepare for the worst’
The three-day counter-pollution training is being led by the MCA and is described as its "biggest rehearsal" of 2023.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
HSE takes over Valaris 121 missing persons investigation
Police told Energy Voice there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Thomas' disappearance last month.
Police name missing North Sea rig worker
Police have named the man who went missing from an oil rig in the North Sea last week as 50-year-old Jason Thomas from Wales.
‘Staggering situation’ as UK regulators not investigating North Sea rig incident
A North Sea union boss has called out the “staggering situation” whereby UK regulators are not investigating Sunday’s offshore rig incident when a worker went missing.
Viral TikTok video slammed as ‘reckless’ after vlogger takes paddleboard out to UK wind farm
A viral TikTok video has been blasted as “reckless” after a vlogger took a paddleboard solo on a 20-mile round trip to a UK wind farm.
Oil cargo vessel refloated off Caithness
A cargo ship which had been stranded for the past week after running aground has been refloated.
Captain of Russian oil tanker punished by UK court over vessel’s ‘catalogue of deficiencies’
A UK court doled out a more than £25,000 fine to the Captain of a Russian oil tanker yesterday after a number of "extremely serious" safety failures were discovered aboard his vessel.
Stranded rig refloating operation making “steady progress”
More than 200 people are involved in plans to refloat an oil rig grounded on the Western Isles which the head of the operation said is making “steady progress”. The Transocean Winner rig was blown ashore in severe weather conditions on the western side of the Isle of Lewis last week when it detached from its tug en-route from Norway to Malta. The rig is believed to have leaked 50,000 litres of fuel, most of which is thought to have evaporated, but no trace of pollution has been found since a low level was spotted on the day the rig grounded, Monday August 8. Salvage teams plan to transfer the remaining 137 metric tonnes of diesel fuel - a light and non-persistent oil with lower environmental risks than heavy black crude oil - in the intact tanks to tanks above the waterline. Hugh Shaw, the secretary of state’s representative for maritime, salvage and intervention, who is overseeing the operation, said: ’Work is ongoing and we are making steady progress, this is due to the response from all involved. “We fully appreciate the support that we have been getting from the local community and its leaders, as well as all those who live and work on the island.” The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the salvage teams on board are continuing to examine possible refloation and fuel transfer options. A helicopter has made three trips to transfer additional salvage equipment to those on board the rig, which grounded at Dalmore beach near Carloway. An MCA spokeswoman said: “So far, it is estimated that over 200 people are responding to the incident from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Transocean, Smit Salvage and Briggs Environmental. “The 300m exclusion zone covering the sea and the exclusion zone covering the air (temporary) remains in place - any aircraft pilot or drone operator not involved in the operation that breaches that zone will be prosecuted.” Mr Shaw and Transocean staff are expected to give an update on the salvage plans at a public meeting in Carloway on Thursday evening.