CASE STUDY

YACHT FIRE AND DIESEL SPILL

TORQUAY MARINA

On 28 May 2022, the Rendezvous – an 85-foot multimillion-pound superyacht – caught fire at Torquay Harbour in Devon. Plumes of acrid black smoke were visible across Torbay and nearby residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed to avoid exposure to toxic fumes. Emergency services declared a major incident and officers evacuated local roads and beaches, where families were celebrating the run-up to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

As the blaze continued, flames severed the yacht’s moorings. The boat drifted across the harbour, setting a wooden jetty alight and threatening the 250 other vessels in the marina. Explosions and fire spread were critical concerns as emergency services tackled the fire for more than six hours. Firefighters secured the yacht before it sank to the bottom of the marina, releasing a quantity of its 8,000L fuel load into the water.

With the spill endangering local waterways and beaches, the response effort shifted to pollution control. Adler and Allan were mobilised through our existing Ports and Harbours contract by the Torquay Harbour Authority.

Working alongside the harbour master, emergency services, the Coastguard, and the Environment Agency, Adler and Allan delivered a cost-conscious counterpollution programme that protected the local environment and economy – and maintained community confidence in Torquay Harbour.

CREATING A SAFE, CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT

Adler and Allan’s team of specialists fought heavy holiday traffic to reach the incident and immediately began pollution control activities. Environmental engineers assessed the situation, implementing measures to keep personnel and local people safe.

• A forward operating base was set up at the entrance to Princess Pier, the site of the incident.

•Temporary fencing was constructed to control movement on the jetty, which had sustained considerable damage during the fire.

•The Adler and Allan team maintained a list of boat owners and authorised personnel, restricting access to protect equipment and prevent accidents.

• A laydown area for equipment was created, positioned to minimise impact on nearby businesses.

•A decontamination zone was set up to reduce product transfer by workers returning from the site and to store waste before disposal.

MINIMISING DAMAGE FROM DAY ONE

Preventing the migration of pollution was the team’s top priority. Booms were immediately deployed to contain the diesel at source and protect beach safety, bathing water quality, and sea life. The floating barriers also limited damage to other hulls in the marina, eliminating the need for them to be lifted and cleaned.

Each day, the booms were adjusted in line with operational requirements. Any product or debris released from the vessel was recovered by manual means or via vacuum trucks that were on standby for the duration of the incident.