Pouring detergent on troublesome oil

The Fiji Marine Department’s fire-float (pictured) pumped hundreds of gallons of detergent over oil which seeped into Suva Harbour after spilling from a naval storage tank flooded by heavy rain in March. The thick oil slick stained the hulls of craft moored off Whippy’s shipyard and at the Marine Department’s wharf. Some moored off the Royal Suva Yacht Club were also affected. Detergent-spraying proved fairly effective, although traces of the offending oil remained on the surface of Suva Harbour for some time after the seepage.