Ship spills an estimated 3,000 litres of fuel in northern Quebec

An estimated 3,000 litres of fuel spilled near the community of Salluit in northern Quebec, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) confirmed on Thursday.

Greg Lick, director general of CCG operations, said in a statement that the Coast Guard was notified late Tuesday of the spill west of Ungava Bay. The M/T Sarah Desgagnés was transferring fuel to the community of Salluit in preparation for the winter months ahead, when strong winds and snow required the transfer be stopped for safety reasons.

Following the standard emergency disconnect process, the fuel line was severed by the vessel’s propeller. At that time, the fuel transfer had already stopped.

The CCGS Terry Fox was on-site at 8:30 a.m. local time on Thursday to assist in initial assessments and any clean-up activities. “At this time, the risk is low but as a precautionary measure, and to address any potential impact on clams/mussels since there is a subsistence harvest, the community of Salluit has issued an advisory notice to residents not to conduct harvesting activities near the area until further notice,” Lick wrote in the statement.

The statement notes that under Canada’s Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response Regime, managed by Transport Canada, the polluter is always responsible for paying the cost of an oil spill cleanup, including third party damages. This means that if a ship causes a spill, its owner is liable for losses and damages, Lick said, adding that the “M/T Sarah Desgagnés is taking responsibility and taking appropriate measures to respond to the incident.”