Oil industry slams coastguard cuts

The oil industry has criticised plans to make cuts to the coastguard, claiming that the proposals would make responding to an emergency much more difficult.

Oil and Gas UK said that the planned downgrading of Aberdeen coastguard station as well as the withdrawal of the emergency towing vessels across the UK would cost the oil industry a huge amount of knowledge and experience, as well as cutting the capacity to respond to offshore incidents.

"Many years of constructive interaction between the oil and gas industry and the coastguard have established strong links and a rich body of local knowledge and experience in Aberdeen," said Oil & Gas UK's health and safety manager, Bob Lauder.

He said that the subsequent cuts to staff in Aberdeen raise real concerns about emergency response.

Scotland's two tugs are to be withdrawn at midnight tonight (September 30th), despite campaigns to save them, while one has already been removed from Stornoway.