Authorities monitor diesel fuel spill from tanker in Northern Quebec
Environment Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) were dealing with the clean-up and investigation of a diesel fuel leak from a tanker in Northern Quebec on Friday, according to cbc.
The spillage – believed to be around 3,000 litres – occurred when the vessel Sarah Desgagnes (17,998 dwt, built 2007) was performing a fuel transfer to the community of Salluit on Wednesday, providing the town’s fuel supplies for the winter.
But with the transfer of 1.8 million litres nearly complete, the ship’s own propeller accidentally snapped the delivery hose, releasing the unknown quantity of diesel into the water on Wednesday night.
Original estimates of 10,000 litres of diesel being leaked were downgraded by the CCG on Friday to around 3,000 litres
Transport Desgagnes, owners of the ship, applied recovery booms skimmers and absorbent materials and summoned the CCG.
Some local residents had complained of strong odours in the immediate wake of the spillage.
But with CCG and Environment Canada monitoring the shoreline and wildlife there had been no reports of pollution or dead marine creatures as of Friday.