EIGHT tankers anchored off the Isle of Wight coastline are due to dock at a Hampshire oil refinery this weekend.

The giant ships, a mixture of chemical, gas and oil carriers, have been waiting for a slot at the Esso Fawley depot.

The gas tanker, Bloom, and the oil tanker, Zuma, were both due to move from deepwater anchorage at Sandown Bay to berths at Fawley in the early hours of this morning.

Meanwhile, the Lian Yun Hu was also due at Fawley tomorrow morning having been moored in the same spot.

Chemical tankers Clyde Fisher, Janne Wonsild, Clipper Sira and Sturgeon, which have all been moored up at St Helen’s Anchorage at the north east tip of the Isle of Wight were all set to move in to berths at the refinery last night and this morning. A fourth chemical tanker, Clipper Sund, was due to arrive at Fawley in the afternoon having been stationed at the Salt Mead Anchorage in the western Solent.

The movements come after an investigation revealed more than 50 oil tankers were currently anchored up around the British Isles.

It had been claimed they were waiting for the price of crude oil to rise before they emptied their cargoes.