“Biodiversity Vandalism” says Councillor Callan
Owners seeking to have vessel towed away and broken up
By Andy Spearman
Councillors were told on Monday that Drogheda Port Company had failed to respond to requests for information about the dredger Hebble Sand, the eyesore that has been moored, some would say abandoned, at Drogheda Port for years.
That was at Monday’s Borough District of Drogheda meeting but, less than24 hours later, the vessel sank at its mooring amid an ever expanding oil slick.
Councillor Kevin Callan had asked officials if they had received any update from the Port Company and was told that the Council had written to the Port Company in May but there had as yet been no response.
“This is incredibly disrespectful on their part” Callan said. “This rust bucket is an eyesore and has not been operational for years”
“The lack of action to remove from the centre of the town across from one of the town’s main hotels was a sign of a total lack of respect for the elected representatives and the town” he said and asked the Council officials to contact the Port Company once again to demand action.
Within hours of this conversation however the Hebble Sand was partially submerged on yesterday evening’s high tide and pouring pollutants and oil into the River Boyne.
“I have alerted the Minister, the EPA, the Council and all relevant statutory bodies” Councillor Callan told Drogheda Life this morning.
“I will be asking the Council to request Drogheda Port to meet immediately with members to discuss two things – why no action has been taken and why the Port have allowed the vessel drop below the waterline causing pollution of the river.”
Drogheda Harbour Master Martin Donnelly told Drogheda Life this morning that the Hebble Sand was now sitting on the bottom of the river and was taking on water with the engine room flooded.
He said that the Port’s immediate concern was to contain any pollution from and they had placed a pollution boom around the dredger to prevent oil and other pollutants spreading further.
Mr. Donnelly said that the Hebble Sand is owned by a company from Northern Ireland called Abco who had been paying mooring fees to Drogheda Port for the time that it has been moored there.
He said that he had been discussing the next step with Abco who are now looking to have the vessel taken away and broken up. He explained however that this is a very complicated process and there are “quite a few hoops to go through. There are very few places where this type of work can be carried out.”
“But it’s not something we haven’t dealt with before” he said. “We’ve done it on a couple of occasions with trawlers that have sunk in the port.”
Mr Donnelly said that the Hebble Sand was one of six or seven vessels of that type built in the UK in the sixties of which two or three are still operating in the UK.
As a man who has spent his entire career around boats and shipping Mr Donnelly, who is retiring next month, said he found it sad to see such a well-built vessel being allowed to deteriorate to such a condition.
“To my eye she has considerable beauty but she is obviously worn and tired but could have had many more years of useful life but sadly that is not to be” he said.
Councillor Callan described the Port Company’s lack of action on the issue over the years as “Biodiversity Vandalism” considering that the Boyne is a special area of conservation.
“With the Port’s attitude it was perhaps inevitable that something like this would happen but I never thought it would be this bad” he said.
Councillor Callan also voiced his concern about whether or not the Boyne Swim which is sponsored by the Drogheda Port Company, would proceed this Saturday but Ray Donagh of the Boyne Swim organising committee said the event, which has attracted a record entry, would be going ahead as scheduled.
