Campaigners fear the oil transfers would put the environment at risk

SPT Marine Services was responsible for an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico when two tankers collided in 1995.

The company had told parliament it had an "excellent" safety record. The Scottish Green Party accused the firm of trying to hoodwink Holyrood.

SPT Marine Services said it sincerely regretted the 1995 incident.

The company wants to pump about 7.8 million tonnes of Russian crude oil a year between tankers anchored in the Firth of Forth.

The company told Holyrood that just four barrels had been spilled in the last 10 years.

Sought compensation

But Green MSPs revealed that the company, formerly known as Melbourne Marine Services, had failed to tell Holyrood's environment committee about an incident in which 35,000 gallons (850 barrels) of oil was spilled in the Gulf of Mexico 12 years ago.

The collision between two tankers happened as they prepared to transfer oil.

The US authorities sought $1.5m in compensation from the companies involved.

In written evidence to the committee, the firm said ship-to-ship transfers had been carried out off the shore of the UK, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, West Africa, the US Gulf, the US West Coast and the Caribbean.

Green environment spokesman Mark Ruskell said the company had failed to mention the Gulf of Mexico incident.

They provided misleading written evidence that hid the fact that the company has been involved in a devastating oil transfer spillage in the US Mark Ruskell MSP Scottish Green Party

"I'm shocked and disappointed that this company appears to have tried to hoodwink the parliament," he said.

"Not only did they fail to show up at the committee to give verbal evidence, they provided misleading written evidence that hid the fact that the company has been involved in a devastating oil transfer spillage in the US."

He said the committee must now seek a full explanation from the firm.

A spokesman for SPT Marine Services said after the oil spill it had carried out a review which resulted in changed procedures and stringent safety precautions.

He said: "There was an incident in 1995 which we sincerely regret resulted in a spill of 850 barrels in the US Gulf.

Navigational incident

"The spill was not directly attributable to ship-to-ship transfer (STS), but was a navigational incident between two vessels underway and preparing for an STS operation."

The firm said the Forth proposals would involve double-hull vessels and the operations would be conducted at anchor.

The plans have sparked an angry reaction from residents and environmentalists.

They are concerned that any spillage could seriously affect the environment.