A freak accident last week made Mainland and the other inhabitants of the Shetland Islands victims of their own prosperity. The tanker Braer, on its way from Norway to Canada, loaded with 26 million gallons of light crude, lost its engines and slammed into the southern tip of the island, spilling at least half its cargo by the end of the week. Although the crew escaped without injury, 70-mph winds prevented virtually all cleanup efforts.
Sitting astride a major shipping lane between Europe and North America, the Shetlands have boomed thanks to natural bounty and man-made industry. The area is home to the largest oil terminal in Europe, pumping about $4.65 million a year into local coffers. The island’s number-two industry is salmon farming. With oil spread more than 25 miles west of the spill, one salmon fishery has already been contaminated. If treacherous weather continues, the ship could break apart and release its entire cargo-a spill that would be twice as large as that of the Exxon Valdez.
Officials won’t know how extensive the ecological damage is or how much oil has leaked until the weather clears and they can board the ship. Already hundreds of sea birds and at least one otter have died. The question of fault remains. Connecticut-based Bergvall & Hudner Ship Management, which operates the Braer, said that it passed inspection two months ago. But one immediate question was, Why were Polish engineers working on machinery in the engine room while the ship was in transit? Willie Mainland asks a question, too: “What can we do to protect ourselves if oil is a part of our lives?” His has no answer.
