Westernport emergency response system questioned

<p>Concern is growing within the maritime industry over a decision by Toll Westernport to downgrade the emergency response system at the port, which is home to a major oil tanker facility.</p> <p>As part of a move to cut costs in the port, Toll proposes to switch from a round-the-clock emergency response time, to placing the only significant waterborne emergency response resource, the fire-fighting capable Safetywatch tug in Westernport, to a four-hour notice period.</p> <p>The Australian Maritime Officers Union, the&#8224Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers and the Maritime Union of Australia, representing the captains, engineers and ratings of Australian tankers and tugs, feel that&#8224the Victorian Government, ESSO, BHPBilliton Petroleum and the&#8224Country Fire Authority are, by their apparent inaction on the issue, all now party to Toll Western Port’s decision.</p> <p>The unions claim that Western Port Bay will be faced with unprecedented and unacceptably low levels of&#8224waterborne emergency response resources following&#8224Toll’s cancelling of the service for the immediate response "standby" Safetywatch tug with Adsteam Harbour.&#8224 </p> <p>"All stakeholders&#8224must be&#8224made&#8224aware&#8224of the full ramifications of Toll’s decision and also that Toll has no&#8224industry agreed or documented&#8224operational level emergency&#8224response procedures in place with service providers," Bill Korevaar of the AMOU, a tugmaster, said.</p> <p>"Toll’s recent risk analysis&#8224deals only with the risk of an incident occurring it does&#8224not&#8224attempt to&#8224address any hazards or risks after an incident has actually occurred, nor&#8224does it identify any&#8224procedures or resources required to respond to an emergency and control and mitigate the outcomes."</p> <p>AIMPE Assistant Federal Secretary Martin Byrne said Toll was taking "a rather blas approach" to the question of port safety in Westernport.</p> <p>"Having tankers discharging cargo without any quick response capacity available is courting disaster," he said.</p> <br />