In a week that began with a “minor oil spill” from bunkering operations in Gibraltar last weekend, we end with an explosion on board a vessel off the South Mole. “Luckily” the explosion took out a high powered boiler and produced a lot of black smoke but did not cause injury or marine pollution -once again we breathe a sigh of relief.

Minutes later, however, we learn of another “minor oil spill”, this time across the Bay in Algecrias with a clean up response rapidly being implemented to avoid oil reaching Getares coastline.

See following link:

http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/andalucia/1284067/operativos/limpieza/se/preparan/las/playas/algecirenas/ante/la/posible/llegada/vertido.html

All these incidents and minor spills place the ecology in the area under tremendous strain as it strives to support the great biodiversity which exists and which we should preserve at all costs.

Raising standards and accountability has to be the way forward as removing fuel industry would be well nigh impossible. Making the “Polluter Pay” and imposing severe fines should reduce avoidable and careless incidents which all add up and together place enormous strains on the living environment.