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Not sure of the year.
"One of the first oil tankers" is written on the back of this photo. Tug boat Kinloch.
View Large VersionPicture added on 25 July 2008
I would say early 1977 would be about right. The ship started to swing very badly in a gale o wind, to try and compensate this the tug was made fast on the str/ shoulder but it didn't work. the whole thing went horribly wrong. The result being that the oil pipe tore away from the ship making a terrible mess of spilt oil. I was on the Kessock at the time and remember running up and down the Flow dispersing lumps of solidified oil for hours on end.It wasnt long after this that when a ship was fast to a SPM the duty tug was always fast to the stern of the ship whilst loading took place, usually about 24 hrs. A practice that worked well in all weathers, although this happened very early on Scapa Flow had a brilliant record as oil spills were far and few between and of a minor nature as far as oil spills go. The Nacella was a German ship there was also another one that called quite often. She was German as well and was called Neverita, a long time ago now as I think the NACELLA was broken up in 1993 and the NEVERITA 1994.
Added by Allan Besant. on 25 July 2008
The 'Nacella' was a German 'Shell' crude oil tanker which along with others such as the 'Neverita', Esso Warwickshire', 'Esso Antwerp', Esso Paris', 'Hugo', were regular callers to Flotta in the early days.
Added by Rob Thomson on 29 July 2008
The Nacella oil spill happened on 5 March 1977.
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Added by Phyllis Gee on 29 July 2008
St Ola
