OIC awards company opportunity to develop wartime tanks project

A Banffshire company is seeking to bring wartime oil tanks in Orkney back into action as a modern-day fuel distribution base.

Orkney Islands Council has agreed to afford Northern Oils the opportunity to investigate whether the tanks — built inside a hill on Hoy – can be used to store and supply marine gas oil.

Six tanks were tunnelled into the hillside above Lyness during the Second World War to give them protection from air raids. They held up to 132 million litres (114,000 tonnes) of fuel oil for supply to British and Allied warships stationed in Scapa Flow.

“It was a tremendous feat of engineering and, 60 years later, they appear to be in remarkably good condition,” said Michael Morrison, business development manager with Orkney marine services.

“We’ve been in discussion with Northern Oils about the tanks’ potential as a base for the storage and distribution of marine gas oil for modern-day shipping.

“It’s an exciting concept we were keen to explore. The proposal is for the company to spend up to year on detailed investigations into the viability of the project — we look forward to the outcome of the work they will now carry out.”

The company intends to discuss its plans with the local community at an early stage as part of the work it will undertake at Lyness.