Deadline for Oil Terminal Move for Ocean Race Expires

It is understood that time has run out for the removal of the oil tank farm at Galway harbour in advance of the city hosting the Volvo Ocean Race. Galway chamber of commerce has said that, if decommissioning of oil terminals at the harbour did not start ‘before St. Patrick’s Day’’, then it was likely that the tent village will not go ahead at the docks. There are currently six tanks at an oil tank farm at the harbour where the tent village is planned to be erected. Chevron is one of the main tenants of the Topaz-owned site, and problems have arisen over the vacating of the site, due to a disagreement over leasing terms.

Both companies were expected to move to the new Enwest terminal in Galway harbour, that was built at a cost of €38 million.

A Topaz spokesman has said that ‘‘if the ongoing discussions come to a fruitful conclusion, Topaz will relocate to the new site’’.

A Chevron spokesman said: ‘‘At a meeting last year, we were asked to keep the Chevron/ Topaz joint venture terminal open during the race, and Chevron have never been asked to relocate their facility prior to the Volvo Ocean Race, as the existing lease still has some years left to run.”

However time has run out as the March 17 is just passed and it would take at least eight weeks for the work to be completed.

The organisers of the event has said that ‘while the docks is the preferred location and the hub of action because the boats will be docked there - the village can be located in the greater harbour."