A company is to investigate whether wartime oil tanks can be restored and brought back into use as part of a modern-day fuel distribution base.

The suggestion, made by Northern Oils, will look at whether the tanks, which have been constructed inside a hill on the island of Hoy, can be used to store and supply marine gas oil. Orkney Islands Council has agreed to allow the firm to carry out its investigations.

During the Second World War, six tanks were tunnelled into the hillside above Lyness, giving them protection from air raids. They stored up to 132 million litres of fuel oil for British and Allied warships that were stationed in Scapa Flow.

Michael Morrison, Business Development Manager with Orkney Marine Services, said: "It was a tremendous feat of engineering and, 60 years later, they appear to be in remarkably good condition.

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"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."

David Wood, Managing Director of Northern Oils, added: "Orkney is an ideal location for us to establish a fuel distribution hub supplying customers in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Over the coming months we will investigate the logistics of giving these wartime assets a new lease of life.

"There are other options we will consider, but the fact that the tanks are already in place makes Lyness an attractive proposition. Potentially, they could be in operation in a much shorter time than at some of the other locations we are looking at

"We are very aware that these tanks represent an important historical link with the Second World War. We would be delighted if these national assets from the past could once again carry out the function they were originally built for – but this time in the 21st century."

(JP/IT)