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The Port of Felixstowe has taken delivery of two brand new marine oil spill containment booms.

Deployed to contain marine oil spills the booms are each 250 metres in length, and able to withstand up to two tonnes of tensile stress. In combination, they will allow the Port’s Emergency Services to isolate and contain oil spillages from vessels of any size.

Manufactured by Vikoma, the world leader in the design and manufacture of oil and chemical pollution control systems, the new, high-performance booms are made from a high quality polyester, PVC and nitrile polymer and are coated with a protective compound for ease of maintenance. They are stored on two hydraulic reels, which allow rapid deployment in the event of an incident.

Chris Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, which owns the Port of Felixstowe, said “As the UK’s largest port, we treat environmental safety as paramount. The new equipment is an essential asset to our operations and will provide us with the most effective protection in the event of an oil spill.”

“The Port of Felixstowe has always co-operated with other ports in the Harwich Haven, as part of the Haven Oil Working Group, to provide a combined response to any pollution incidents. By pooling all of the equipment at our disposal, the ports are able to offer a more efficient response and to maximise the level of environmental protection available,” Lewis said.

The Port has also invested in additional skimming and tank equipment to allow the Port’s Emergency Services to recover any oil trapped by the boom, and to store recovered waste oil for professional disposal.