Marsaxlokk was the most sheltered harbour when north-easterly winds blew, fishermen said, taking with a pinch of salt Electrogas’s statement that the LNG tanker had “remained at all times moored safely” during last weekend’s storm.
With tongue in cheek, a 62-year-old fisherman told this newspaper yesterday the Tumas and Gasan groups, part owners of the new power station, would do better to stick to building power stations than issuing commentary on the weather.
Electrogas said on Monday that, following the weekend storm, it was “pleased to report that the FSU [floating storage unit] remained at all times moored safely with no incident or risk exposure whatsoever”.
“The worst weather recorded in the ship’s logs over the weekend was an east north-easterly wind of force 7,” it said in a statement.
I just couldn’t believe it when I heard the statement on the news. Who are they trying to kid? Don’t they have the people to tell them that in a grigalata, Marsaxlokk is the most sheltered harbour in Malta?
“The FSU was in the process of fine-tuning the spread mooring chains assisted by four tugs from time to time and did not have to cease its work,” Electrogas said.
“The people behind the tanker [the FSU] are evidently no experts in weather issues,” the fisherman said. “I just couldn’t believe it when I heard the Electrogas statement on the news. Who are they trying to kid? Don’t they have the right technical people to tell them that in a grigalata, Marsaxlokk is the most sheltered harbour in Malta?” he said.
Another fisherman, who has spent all his adult life on the high seas, said a north-easterly storm would not affect Marsaxlokk.
“Everyone, at least those in Marsaxlokk, knows that our bay is affected badly only when hit by south-easterly winds. God forbid if we were also affected by last weekend’s storm, because we would have to pack up and start a new business,” he said.
Contacted about the statement in view of the fishermen’s comments, a spokesman for Electrogas said that he could not understand why we were asking. “The other media reported word for word what we said, and I don’t know why you want more information,” he said.
When it was explained that the information from fishermen was that Marsaxlokk was a safe port in north-easterly winds and, therefore, there was never any safety issue for the tanker, the spokesman replied: “That is your opinion.”
According to weather studies carried out for Electrogas itself and published recently as part of the ongoing public consultation for the power plant’s environmental permit, the massive LNG tanker will only have to leave its jetty during severe southerly or south-easterly storms. The studies say these are expected at least three times a year.
When they happen, the gas-fired power stations, which include the BWSC plant bought by the Chinese, will completely shut down.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com