The Sea Empress disaster was a moment of profound sadness for this extraordinarily beautiful coastline and one of the most painful chapters in our maritime history. On the 30th anniversary, we look at the lasting and impactful changes that the disaster had across the ports and shipping industries.

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On the evening of 15 February 1996, the Sea Empress struck rocks at the entrance to the Milford Haven Waterway. She was carrying 130,000 tonnes of Forties Blend North Sea crude oil. Over the course of several days, 72,000 tonnes of crude oil spilled from damaged tanks. Severe weather hampered salvage efforts before she was finally freed on 21 February 1996. The spill caused an environmental disaster, also impacting the region’s tourism and fishing industries.

Subsequent findings highlighted significant issues in how ports, and the wider shipping industry, operated – with clear calls for change. For us at the Port of Milford Haven, the changes were foundational and remain as relevant today as they were in 1996.  

How did operations change at the Port of Milford Haven as a result of the Sea Empress oil spill?

The Port of Milford Haven was determined to learn from being responsible for one of the UK’s worst oil spills and become a standard bearer for safety, environmental safeguarding and industry-leading pilotage excellence.

Pilotage
The Port has completely redesigned its pilotage system, creating one of the most rigorous regimes in the UK.

  • Higher standards: Before becoming a pilot in Milford Haven you would already need to be a Master Mariner, which takes around 12 years seagoing experience to achieve culminating in being qualified to command a vessel. As a result of the Sea Empress incident, initial pilot training increased from three months to at least six, followed by a five‑year progression programme before handling the largest vessels. Continuous professional development including manned‑model training (specialised on-water training for ship handling in a confined body of water) and regular simulator sessions are now mandatory.

  • Better vessel classification: The Pilot authorisation process became far more rigorous. This included a move from deadweight to gross tonnage for vessel classification. This is a more accurate measure of how a ship will handle in tidal stream and wind, ensuring pilots have the right experience for the vessel they’re navigating.

  • Two‑pilot requirement: The largest ships now require two pilots for added expertise, decision making capacity and resilience.

Tugs
Escort towage was introduced at Milford Haven requiring tugs to escort and be physically attached to certain ships entering the Port. This is important because in the event of an engine or steering failure the vessel can be kept under control.

Navigation Aids
Major investments transformed the Port’s ability to monitor and support vessel movements.

  • Comprehensive tidal and seabed surveys: The Port commissioned the most detailed tidal stream survey of any port globally, producing a Tidal Stream Atlas for all pilots. High‑resolution seabed mapping followed. Most recently, and reflecting technological advancements, the Port worked with the UK Hydrographic Office to develop digital chart coverage to better aid navigation.

  • Improved visual and radar navigation aids: There was an upgrade to entrance lights and radar beacons as well as upgrades to radar navigation aids to give the ship’s command improved positional awareness. The upgraded radar system gave the Port’s Vessel Traffic Services precise, real‑time tracking of shipping.  

  • SafePilot technology: Ahead of LNG traffic in 2007, the Port invested in the SafePilot system which gave pilots position accuracy to within 2cm, independent of the ship’s system.

  • Advanced simulator training: A state‑of‑the‑art simulator suite opened in 2016 (and upgraded in 2025), enabling pilots, tug crews, emergency responders and VTS teams to train together in realistic conditions.
    The Port continues to invest in its navigational infrastructure, including the recent refurbishment of the Mid‑Channel Rock lighthouse.

Emergency Preparedness & Response
The Sea Empress incident exposed weaknesses in command, control and inter‑agency coordination. The Port responded with structural and cultural reforms.

  • Safety Review Committee: External experts were brought in to review marine procedures and oversee a comprehensive risk assessment of all operations.

  • Regular multi‑agency exercises: Joint training with emergency services, government bodies  (such as Pembrokeshire County Council that has shoreline clean-up responsibility and Natural Resources Wales who are the environmental regulator) and industry partners is now routine, strengthening resilience and communication.

  • Improved inter‑agency coordination: The Port helped establish a precursor to today’s Local Resilience Forum, ensuring all relevant agencies plan and train together.

How did environmental management change at the Port of Milford Haven as a result of the Sea Empress oil spill?

The Port of Milford Haven has worked to ensure that the environmental devastation of 1996 led to lasting improvements. 

Championing Conservation
Recognising that the region’s unique ecosystems needed a dedicated ‘voice of nature’, the Port co-funded and hosted a full‑time Marine Special Area of Conservation Officer. This role remains a powerful advocate for local habitats, strengthened scientific understanding and expanded environmental education in schools, ensuring future generations understand the value of the Waterway’s natural assets.

Collaborative Environmental Governance
The Port was a founding member of the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group which bring together industry, regulators and conservation bodies. While established prior to Sea Empress, the group has gone on to become the key body for environmental monitoring on the Waterway and has studied sediment quality, contaminants and wildlife populations for more than 30 years. Its long-term dataset is one of the most comprehensive of any UK port, providing vital insight into the Waterway’s recovery and ongoing health and stands as a model of how industry and conservation can work together effectively.The Port also supported the establishment of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, which evolved into a trusted, neutral space for balancing commercial activity with coastal protection.

Embedding Sustainability in Port Strategy
The lessons of the Sea Empress shaped the Port’s long-term direction. Sustainability is now a core value and a central pillar of its strategy. Initiatives such as introducing financial incentives for cleaner shipping, and prohibiting the in-port use of open-loop scrubbers (an exhaust gas cleaning system) reinforces the Port’s commitment to reducing environmental impacts and promoting best practice across the sector.  

What lessons were learned in the wider port and shipping industries following the Sea Empress oil spill?  

The Sea Empress disaster exposed major weaknesses in the UK’s maritime command structure, regulatory framework and emergency preparedness. Its impact went far beyond Milford Haven, prompting sweeping national reforms and accelerating international safety standards.

Clearer Command and Control
One of the most significant failings identified was the absence of a single, decisive authority during the early stages of the incident. Lord Donaldson’s review recommended the creation of the Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Intervention and Salvage (SOSREP) — a role empowered to provide strategic oversight and take control of any maritime emergency and cut through confusion between agencies. This became one of the most influential reforms in UK maritime governance.
The incident also reignited attention on Donaldson’s earlier recommendations following the 1993 Braer spill, particularly the need for Emergency Towing Vessels (ETVs) positioned around the UK coast. The grounding of a second tanker within five years accelerated the implementation of these measures through the 1997 Merchant Shipping Act.

Stronger Regulation: The Port Marine Safety Code
It was also found that the UK port industry lacked consistent safety standards and that government oversight had been too hands‑off. The result was the Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC - now the Ports & Marine Facilities Safety Code), a self‑regulatory national framework covering all safety aspects of port and marine facility operations. The Port was a founding member of the PMSC Policy Steering Group and remains an active member to this day.

  • Every port, harbour terminal or marine facility is asked to participate in a compliance exercise every three years.

  • The Code is supported by the Guide to Good Practice, setting out detailed operational standards.

  • The UK’s approach has influenced other nations, many of which now hold port authorities legally accountable for pilotage safety.

Our most recent independent audits confirmed our continued compliance and highlighted many examples of industry-leading practice.

Improved National Coordination
The Sea Empress also reshaped how UK agencies work together during maritime emergencies.

  • The Maritime Safety Agency and Coastguard Agency were merged to form the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), unifying search‑and‑rescue and pollution response.

  • A new National Contingency Plan (NCP) set out clear roles, responsibilities and procedures for local and national authorities.

  • The concept of Places of Refuge was formalised, ensuring damaged vessels have pre‑identified safe locations.

  • Every major incident now triggers an Environment Group, providing the SOSREP with immediate expert advice on wildlife and habitat protection.

International Reforms
The Sea Empress added momentum to global changes already underway in the shipping industry.

  • Double‑hull tankers: The disaster accelerated the international phase‑out of single‑skinned tankers in favour of double hulls, two layers of steel that create a void space between the sea and the inside holds of a ship. Single skins were phase out by 2010.

  • Emergency towing points: MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) and SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) regulations were updated to require high‑strength ‘emergency’ towing points at the bow and stern on all new tankers, enabling safer tug intervention.

  • IOPC (International Oil Pollution Compensation) Fund reforms: Compensation rules were expanded to include funding for environmental assessment studies, not just direct economic loss.

 

CEO Statement

"The Sea Empress disaster was a defining moment for our organisation and for the wider maritime sector. It exposed shortcomings in our industry and caused profound harm to a coastline whose natural beauty and biodiversity we all treasure. We acknowledge the part our Port played in that event, and we have spent the decades since ensuring that its lessons were not only learned, but acted upon.

The transformation that followed has reshaped how ports operate in the UK and influenced global maritime standards. Here at Milford Haven, we strengthened pilotage training, invested in world‑leading navigational technology, introduced escort towage, and embedded environmental stewardship into every aspect of our work. Nationally, the creation of the Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSREP) to provide strategic oversight and take control of any maritime emergency, the Port Marine Safety Code and a unified Maritime and Coastguard Agency established clearer authority, stronger regulation and more effective emergency coordination. Internationally, the industry accelerated the adoption of double‑hull tankers, mandatory emergency towing points and improved compensation frameworks for environmental damage.

These changes — many driven directly by the lessons of 1996 — have made shipping safer, ports more accountable and our marine environment better protected. While we cannot undo the past, we can honour it by continuing to lead, to invest and to uphold the highest standards of safety and sustainability. That commitment remains at the heart of everything we do today."

- Tom Sawyer, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven 2022-present