Dear Editor:
During the pipeline debate Ms. Woodsworth of the Georgia Strait Alliance's vivid presentation has supposedly illustrated the enormous increase in the oil spill risks if we allow the increase in the tanker traffic. But that is in the sharp conflict with the reality; the fact that due to technological and regulatory advancements, and in spite of huge increases in the tanker traffic around the world, the number of oil spills has been plummeting to the point that in 2012 there has not been a single large spill in the whole world. In contrast, in the 1990s there were on average eight large spills per year.
Moreover, people should ask themselves how a double hull oil tanker with its captain and two local pilots on the bridge, escorted by three tugboats, sailing only during daylight, slack tide and when its shipping lane is cleared of all other traffic and with whole operation being monitored by the port's advanced airport type guidance system could ever spill any oil.
Jerry Sklenar, P. Eng.
North Vancouver
