Clean Arctic Alliance published a statement in response to the Viking Sky incident. Viking Sky sent out a distress call, after escaping disaster when its engines failed during a storm in the Norwegian sea.
In light of Viking Sky incident, Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance, commented that the incident should serve as a wake up call.
He continued that many were the factors that helped avert disaster and ensured the safe return of passengers and crew to shore this weekend: the response and resolve of the Viking Sky’screw, who restarted its engines under difficult conditions, the bravery and expertise of Norwegian helicopter teams and the crews of support vessels operating in difficult conditions to rescue Viking Sky passengers and the crew of the freighter Hagland Captain, along with the experience and resources of Norway’s authorities, and very importantly, the proximity of rescue infrastructure.
Moreover, the Alliance highlighted the fact that the vessel was carrying 343 tonnes of HFO onboard, along with 465 tonnes of diesel.
Although the vessel’s grounding created a major possibility of oil spill, nothing has been reported up to now, declining the fear of an environmental and local threat.
Moreover, the statement alerts that in the following summer, similar cruise ships carrying thousands of passengers will sail in Arctic waters and in other vulnerable regions, far from search and rescue facilities, including helicopters and tugs.
It is no only the lives of the people at stake, but there are many environmental challenges in case an incident occurs, as a spill of HFO is likely to take from months to years to be completely cleaned-up.
In fear of oil spills, Norway supports the end of HFO and carriage in Arctic waters at the IMO, and has banned its use in national park waters around the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.
With actions on prohibiting the use and carriage of HFO from Arctic shipping currently under development by the IMO, now is the time for Arctic Cruise industry players to come clean on the fuels they are using, move away from HFO, and to sign up to the Arctic Commitment, which calls on businesses and organisations to step forward and call for a phase-out of polluting HFO from Arctic shipping.
