Brentford Dock marina fuel oil spills – during late November early December 2016 there were two separate substantive fuel oil spills within Brentford Dock marina. Several residents were told by the lock keeper that the spills had emanated from a boat within the marina, which was clearly apparent to numerous residents affected by the event.
In the letter dated 2nd December 2016 entitled: “Fuel Spill in Marina”, John Michael Antrobus, the Estate Manager and Office Manager of Brentford Dock wrote: “The Environment Agency (“EA”) has now advised us of the correct course of action, having consulted with their Fisheries section, and that is to open the lock and allow the fuel into the Thames; they have alerted the Port of London Authority (“PLA”) to this and no concerns have been raised by either party.”
Link to: John Antrobus’ December 2nd 2016 letter to residents Fuel Spill in Brentford Dock Marina
“…he took professional advice and acted on it.”
In response to a resident’s question regarding the Brentford Dock marina fuel oil spills, a Brentford Dock director wrote: “The advice we received from the Environment Agency was to allow it to return to the river so that tide and current flow could assist with its break-up and dispersal….. I am satisfied that he did what was reasonable in the circumstances, i.e. he took professional advice and acted on it.”
This matter and the statements made by Brentford Dock Ltd. (“BDL”) were raised with The Port of London Authority Harbour Master who had informed concerned residents that they had not been contacted by the Environmental Agency as stated by John Antrobus (Estate Manager for Brentford Dock), nor had they been contacted by Brentford Dock in respect of the fuel spills and the matter of releasing the pollution in to the Thames (for which the Port of London Authority has jurisdiction) at or prior to the writing of the letter detailed above.
“We have now looked into this issue and can advise that we were not contacted by the Environment Agency regarding this incident and our response would not have been to allow the pollution out of the dock and into the tidal Thames. It is for the marina operator to clear up any spillage occurring in an enclosed water space and the lock gates should not have been operated until the pollution had been cleared satisfactorily.” – Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority were unable to visit Brentford Dock until early February 2017 (3rd) to discuss the Brentford Dock marina fuel oil spills and stated that “we could not be completely certain as where this pollution incident emanated from”. This clearly contradicts that which was written to the residents both at the time and subsequently by Brentford Dock Ltd in their board meeting minutes.
Brentford Dock confirmed to the Port of London Authority, that they contacted both the Environment Agency and Hounslow Council but not the Port of London Authority. “They have apologised for this oversight and fully appreciate that we (Port of London Authority) would not allow for any pollution discharges, like this to be released into our jurisdiction”.
Furthermore, the fuel spills clearly established that Brentford Dock marina did not have adequate measures in place to deal with pollution incidents. The “boom” used is piping insulation drawn together by blue rope. This clearly did nothing to contain the fuel as it was clearly seen flowing under the “boom”. This was wholly inadequate and unacceptable.
The Environment Agency has told concerned residents that they did not sanction the opening of the lock gates to let the fuel out in to the Thames. Furthermore, the Environment Agency told concerned residents that “the opening of the lock was for navigation, remediation and sending out resources only”, the Environment Agency also stated to concerned residents that they had “committed them (Brentford Dock) to keep the gates closed”.
Any opening of the lock gates was not for letting the oil out to be dispersed in and by the Thames as the Brentford Dock director had previously stated.
The London Borough of Hounslow has stated to concerned residents that “The London Borough of Hounslow has provided no instructions to the Dock Management Company regarding the control or release of spilt fuels within their marina”.
John Antrobus’ letter asserts that there were two leakages of fuel oil in to the marina only days apart. Residents experiencing the resultant effects would agree with this. John Antrobus’ letter is unequivocal in detailing the events and timeline and, therefore, it would appear that he had given the matter his full consideration.
The story now being presented to the board and residents about the fuel not coming from any of the boats in the marina is highly questionable. The activity within the marina, as witnessed by residents at the time, leads us to believe that the identity of the boat which was experiencing the difficulties was known. It is believed that this boat had come into the marina at the time of the leak and left, presumably to fix the problem, during the period of the incident written about by John Antrobus.
John Antrobus clearly states in his letter, “The owner of this boat has been contacted and is aware of the issue and his liabilities in this regard”.
A reasonable person would take it as given that John Antrobus would not have written this statement to residents had the owner not been spoken to and that the source of the fuel spill not been established.
The odour of the fuel was pungent and disgusting and the likelihood of this occurring twice in a week with an interval of days between the events makes the explanation of the fuel spillages originating from the Thames highly implausible.
Did John Antrobus mislead residents by stating that the owner of the boat in difficulty had been identified and spoken to in his clearly deliberated letter?
No agency contacted by residents gave John Antrobus permission to let fuel oil into the Thames, irrespective of the original explanation or the story now being circulated by the Board of Brentford Dock or their managing agents, Michael Richards & Co.(“MR&Co”).
It could be assumed by residents that the release of the document dated 2nd December 2016 by John Antrobus (linked to below) had been approved by any or all of the following: Veronica Mary Wray, Chair and Mike Edwards, Deputy Chair of Brentford Dock Ltd., Leslie Anne Ferber, Chair of Brentford Dock Enterprises Ltd. (“BDEL”), Carol Cherriman, or Adam Goldwater principal of Michael Richards & Co.
The Port of London Authority told concerned Brentford Dock residents that irrespective of the source of the fuel spillages they would NOT have sanctioned any release of pollution into the Thames.
It is extremely doubtful that residents were misinformed and/or deliberately misled by The Port of London Authority, the Environment Agency or Hounslow Council in regard to the professional advice that the Brentford Dock Board and John Antrobus have stated was given.
Residents are concerned that John Antrobus has made statements that clearly contradict the statements made by the agencies contacted by residents. It would, from what residents have established from the Port of London Authority, the Environment Agency and Hounslow Council, appear that John Antrobus did not follow their instructions and allowed the pollution to enter the River Thames.
In light of the aim of Brentford Dock Ltd. and Brentford Dock Enterprises Ltd. to expand the usage of the marina, it should have been obvious that there would be an increased likelihood of such an incident occurring within the marina itself and this has not been the first such occurrence.
The fact that only at this late stage is the correct equipment necessary to deal with such an eventuality now on site is absolutely appalling.
Brentford Dock residents hope that the correct equipment is now on site, but this we have to take on trust.
The marina has been under the management of Carol Cherriman and John Antrobus of Michael Richards & Co. for at least six years and by Leslie Anne Ferber (Brentford Dock Ltd/Brentford Dock Enterprises Ltd) for an even longer period, and Veronica Wray is the paid chairman of Brentford Dock Ltd. All four should have made sure that such an eventuality would have been dealt with in an efficient manner.
In regard to the Brentford Dock Marina Fuel Oil Spills, the Brentford Dock Ltd board has been made aware of these inconsistencies and has refused to look in to them.
Click the link below to see John Antrobus’ letter to residents about the fuel spill in Brentford Dock marina.
Link to: John Antrobus’ December 2nd 2016 letter to residents Fuel Spill in Brentford Dock Marina
If you have any concerns or comments about this or any other matter regarding the management of Brentford Dock Ltd. that need to be brought to the attention of fellow residents you can email them to admin[at]brentforddockresidents.com or use our contact page.