Refuelling your boat – Every drop counts!

The protection of our marine environment is a top priority for our team, and we know that one of the points of potential pollution in our marinas can be at the fuel jetties – so assisting our berth holders and boat owners to learn how to refuel their vessels safely is important in helping us keep the marinas and waterways clean.

Don’t forget,  refuelling at the berth is prohibited. All refuelling must be carried out at the fuel jetty using the dispensers provided. Most spills in our marinas come from everyday activities such as refuelling, engine emissions and oil leaks.

There are spill kits available on our refuelling jetties in the marina. If you have a spill in the marina, it is imperative you immediately deploy spill response process to ensure you clean as much of the spilled substance as possible and let the Marina manager know. In addition to the marine oil spill kits located at the fuel facilities, we have installed additional kits throughout all three marinas. This is to improve convenience and facilitate a prompt response. In Waikawa, we have added spill kits by jetties 13W and 7E and on the hardstand. In Havelock, we have added a kit by the ablution facility close to H Pier. In Picton, we added kits on Jetty B, Town wharf and by the boatshed.

Handy tips:

• Always refuel at a fuel pump, avoid the use of containers and do not overfill your fuel tanks
• Ensure you have absorbent material nearby when fuelling, or lay it down around the fuelling site
• Use the designated waste oil bins in our marinas to dispose of any contaminated materials

Fun fact: A single litre of fuel can contaminate over a million litres of water and form a 4000m2 slick.
Useful information and guidance for pollution prevention can be found in Maritime NZ’s Every Drop Counts release.

Even small amounts of fuel and oil can be fatal to birds and marine life and cause damage to the environment. Because most of these spills are of very light oil, they quickly spread out into a thin film.

Refuelling your Boat – The right way!

• Whenever possible, refuel at an approved refuelling station where spill kits are available, do not transfer fuel to your boat in containers
• For safety, have all passengers disembark the vessel during petroleum refuelling
• Before you start refuelling, estimate how much fuel you need in your tanks to prevent overflow
• Plug the scuppers with rags during refuelling where possible
• Keep absorbent materials on deck to mop up any spills
• Make sure a responsible adult monitors the entire refuelling process. Don’t let children or untrained people refuel your boat
• Never leave the fuel hose unattended while refuelling
• Use caution in filling your fuel tank to avoid spillage into the water
• Fit a vent whistle & listen to the tone while refuelling
• When fueling, avoid topping off or overfilling to reduce the risk of fuel overflowing from vents. Allow room for expansion in the tank.

If you overfill your fuel tank, wipe it up with an absorbent rag. Do not hose the fuel off into the water. Dispose of the contaminated rags responsibly.

Report Spills immediately to your marina service manager.  The sooner the spill is reported the better chance there is of minimising damage to the environment.

Remember that bilge socks can be purchased from our marina offices, or through our online shop here > https://marlboroughmarinas.co.nz/shop/kleen-sock/

There is also some further handy information here from Maritime NZ.