Wednesday, March 27, 1975
30
Orders had already been placed for the purchase of additional.
equipment and resources recommended by SCOOP (the code name of the Special
Sub-Committee of the Port Executive Committee on Oil Pollution). The
cost of these additional facilities would be about $850,000.
The contingency plan under which this machinery operated had been
considered in detail by all concerned and a new plan had been issued.
Mr. Robson said that the clean-up operation which followed the
Apleichau spill was the largest ever undertaken in Hong Kong waters.
Conducted by the Marine Department, with substantial assistance from the Shell Company, it dealt with a spillage estimated at between 2,000 to 4,000
tons of oil.
By far the greater part of the spill was cleaned up within
10 days, and thanks to favourable weather conditions, major pollution of
the main beaches on the south side of Hong Kong Island did not occur.
A bill amounting to $1.15 million, to cover the expenses incurred
by the government in this operation, had been sent to the Shell Company
for settlement.
Under the auspices of the New Territories Administration and the
Home Affairs Department, agreement had been reached between the Shell
Company and the fish farmers of Picnic Bay and Aberdeen Harbour, involving
payment of sone $6 million for the losses suffered by the fish farmers.
/In conclusion,