Fuel spill in Nanaimo harbour contained

Western Canada Marine Response responded to a fuel spill in the Nanaimo harbour on Wednesday. Photo: Lauryn Mackenzie / CHLY

The Canadian Coast Guard is reporting that a fuel oil spill in the Nanaimo harbour has been contained.

The spill was reported on Wednesday morning and took place when the M/V Maipo River was refueling.

Michael Lowry, senior manager of communications for Western Canada Marine Response (WCMR) said it was activated around 7 a.m. when the vessel's owner reported the spill.

“They were refueling their vessel and there was a spill on the deck, and from what we understand most of the product remained on the deck. Some of that product went overboard and got into the marine environment, but there were some log booms in place already, so the majority of that product was captured there,” he said.

The spill occurred right beside WCMR’s base so they were able to quickly deploy three of their vessels, and commencement booms while the team did containment work around the jetty.

At the moment it’s unknown how much oil got into the water.

“Most of the product was contained within the boom, so we're not seeing a lot of product outside of where the vessel is,” said Lowry

The WCMR worked with several other response teams including the Coast Guard and the Snuneymuxw First Nations.

Andrew Radzik, energy campaigner for the George Strait Alliance said this spill will be one of many that take place around the province this year.

“These small fuel spills contribute to marine pollution over time,” he said. “They harm biodiversity in small and big ways. This stuff is toxic and it has a toxic impact on the biodiversity, the habitat and the organisms there.”