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Clean Seas News

18 Dec 2023

Aker BP Restarts Production at Alvheim Field After Unexpected Downtime

(Credit: Aker BP)

Norwegian oil company Aker BP has restored production at Alvheim field, causing an oil spill during the process of starting up the production vessel located in the central North Sea. The downtime resulted from a malfunction in new equipment installed during maintenance activities in the previous quarter, causing a deferral of approximately one month in the production from the Alvheim area, Aker BP said. The oil spill from the Alvheim production vessel on November 29 occurred in connection with starting up the field following an unplanned production shutdown, where one well was producing.

12 Feb 2019

Boat Made of Flip-flops Sails for Cleaner Seas

(Photo: Flipflopi)

It was 6pm when an unusual rainbow-colored boat, made of recycled plastic waste and discarded flip-flops gathered from beaches and roadsides, dropped anchor off the beach at Mtwapa, near Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa.The 9-meter-long dhow, "The Flipflopi", was sailing south along East Africa's coast to raise awareness of the threat plastics pose to the oceans, said chief boat-builder and captain Ali Skanda.Beaches and marine ecosystems have been badly affected by plastics, Skanda said…

04 Jan 2019

Oil Spill Cleanup Device Tailored for the Arctic

Arctic FoxTail (Photo: H. Henriksen)

A new oil spill response device capable of cleaning up spills in arctic conditions has been launched in an effort to bolster Norway’s spill preparedness.The new device, dubbed Arctic FoxTail, is a winterized version of H. Henriksen’s standard Foxtail vertical adhesion band (VAB) skimmer, which filters out oil spills from the seawater using its sorbent mops. The system is capable of salvaging large quantities of oil after a spill, without much unnecessary water.Tonsberg-based H.

07 Jun 2018

Chairman of IACS Commends Association’s Achievements

Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, who will hand over the reins of  International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) in July, examined how the association had evolved during his time as Chairman, while speaking at the Posidonia trade fair in Athens. In an industry undergoing rapid change, the IACS Chairman identified the need for classification societies and IACS itself to be adaptable and prepared for change, while staying true to the core purpose of classification. Ørbeck-Nilssen said that over the past year great progress had been made in modernising classification to deal with the digital transformation of shipping: “I’m pleased to see the progress that was made in modernising the concept of class, to adapt to the digital transformation we see in shipping today.

08 Dec 2017

Liberia Re-elected to IMO Council

Photo: The Liberian Registry

Liberia has been re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a position it has held continuously since 2012. Commissioner of the Liberia Maritime Authority, Dr James Kollie, says, “It is very gratifying to see Liberia reconfirmed in its position as a leading maritime nation and decision-maker at the IMO. Liberia is among the most proactive and responsible maritime nations in the world, in accordance with its position as the leading quality open registry serving the global shipping industry and ensuring seafarers’ welfare.

27 Jun 2017

Maritime Broadband Radio: First Wireless Network at Sea

Maritime Broadband Radio, MBR, is also installed on the Coastal Administration’s surveillance plane LN- KYV. (Photo: Kongsberg Seatex AS)

Norway has become the first nation to implement maritime broadband communication on ships and planes in public service, enabling exchange of information that can be crucial in limiting damage when accidents occur. Kongsberg Seatex and Radionor have teamed up to develop Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR), which the Norwegian companies say is, in contrast to previous systems, highly stable and has extensive reach. Among other capabilities, MBR also enables streaming of HD-video. MBR does not require an internet connection to connect units in the network…

28 Feb 2017

Lamor Demos New Oil Recovery System

Photo: Lamor Corporation

In mid-February, Lamor Corporation demonstrated a new way to recover oil by deploying the Lamor Marine Oil Spill Sweeper LMOS 15 Speed Skimming system in Halifax, Canada in cooperation with their local representative, Griffin Engineered Systems, for Canadian response organizations and companies, represented by Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC), Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Defense (DND), ALERT and RMI Marine. Despite the harsh weather conditions Halifax harbor that day…

13 Feb 2017

Statoil Awards ERRV Contracts

Statoil awards Simon Møkster Shipping AS contracts for three emergency response and rescue vessels (ERRV), and Havila Shipping ASA for one ERRV. The contacts have a total value, included options, of NOK 2.7 billion. The vessels will be part of Statoil’s area-wide emergency response on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). The emergency response vessels play an important role in addressing government authorities’ and the company’s own requirements for rescue, hospital, fire-fighting, emergency towing and oil spill preparedness. “Statoil has an extensive emergency preparedness system on the NCS, and through the contracts we have secured four vessels that are tailored to our waters.

25 Sep 2016

More Plastic than Fish in the Ocean

Did you know that by 2050 there could be more plastics in the ocean than fish, if human habits don’t change? India Clean Seas Conference taking place in Goa, India (22-24 September), discussed what needs to be done to keep the oceans clean. IMO’s Director of Marine Environment, Stefan Micallef delivered the opening address, highlighting daunting environmental challenges facing the oceans and how to develop sustainable solutions. Micallef pointed out how IMO’s marine pollution convention MARPOL has played a key role as a comprehensive, international treaty covering the prevention of both marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. To address the  massive accumulation of plastics in the ocean…

15 Oct 2015

North Sea Trials for Inter-vessel Communications

MBR connects all vessels in complex offshore operations. (Photo: Kongsberg)

The Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA), Norwegian Coast Guard and the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO) took part in a full-scale trial of Kongsberg Maritime’s Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR) inter-vessel communication system in the North Sea this June. During the North Sea exercise MBR was used as the communication platform for data exchange and coordination of simultaneous operations. Units were mounted on multiple operational assets, including a plane that streamed real-time surveillance video directly to the vessels…

08 Apr 2015

Oil Under Ice

Helix Oil Skimmer being deployed off the USCGC HEALY.

The U.S. How did an urgent requirement to build a road to Alaska end up helping to design submarines and to recover oil spills in the Arctic ice? The Army Corps of Engineers was faced with a monumental challenge of building a highway to connect the “lower 48” to Alaska during World War II to keep America’s northernmost territory secure from invasion. The road crossed hundreds of miles of wilderness, and much of the roadbed sat up permafrost, presenting challenges to America’s roadbuilders.

26 Jun 2014

USCG Presents William M. Benkert Awards

Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Vice Adm. Peter Neffenger presented the 2014 Rear Adm. William Benkert Awards at the American Petroleum Institute's (API) annual tanker conference Thursday. The award is given to support and recognize maritime industry efforts for their environmental protection programs. This biennial award was started in 1995 and honors industry leaders in the field of marine safety and environmental protection and provides an opportunity for the Coast Guard to recognize leadership, innovation and creativity found among those members of the maritime industry. It is the premier environmental protection award presented by the U.S.

24 Sep 2013

Elastec/American Named Distributor for OceanEye Oil Spill Aerial Surveillance System

When Elastec/American Marine managed the controlled burn operation in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, the response operation was more efficient when aerial surveillance was available. Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters were frequently employed in the search for oil, but those alternatives proved costly and were also unavailable at night. In other scenarios, limitations such as fog, heavy rains or snow may make flying impractical and unsafe for the flight crew. Valuable time may be lost preparing and filing flight plans…

16 Sep 2013

Coast Guard Commandant Visits Vietnam

Commandant Papp in Vietnam Discussion: Photo credit USCG

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to expand U.S. ties to Vietnam with a visit by Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Bob Papp, who became the first Commandant to visit as part of an official international outreach initiative. Over the past three years, the Coast Guard, in close coordination with the Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, has been helping Vietnam to build their maritime governance capacity by providing training assistance to the Vietnam Marine Police. The VMP is a “Coast Guard-like” maritime law enforcement component within their Ministry of Defense…

23 Aug 2013

Coast Guard, Partners Perfom Simulated Oil Spill

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, Alaska, personnel along with members of agency partners.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage personnel along with federal, state, local, tribal partners and industry representatives conducted mutual aid drills in Anchorage and Deadhorse, Wednesday. During the drill, participants tested their ability to establish a Unified Command, implement the North Slope Mutual Aid Agreement and deploy equipment in response to a simulated oil spill at the remote Nikaitchuq Project at Spy Island near Deadhorse. “Drills like this are important because they…

05 Oct 2012

Training to Crackdown on Illegal Ship Discharges

EMSA Course in Session: Photo credit EMSA

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) provides joint Interpol training to member-state represetatives. This year EMSA’s training and cooperation sector offered a new training course together with Interpol, the international police organization. The contents of the course was developed by Interpol withhin the framework of the project “CleanSeas” a training course on “Illegal discharges and MARPOL Violations”. Lecturers from EMSA, the US Department of Justice, the Swedish Coast…

17 Aug 2012

Elastec/American Marine Acquires Scandinavian Technology

Elastec/American Marine, headquartered in Carmi, IL, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the BoomVane technology, expanding its range in the manufacture of innovative pollution control equipment. Developed and patented by ORC of Sweden, the BoomVane is an aquatic paravane system that enables oil recovery and debris containment booms to be towed by a single vessel, as well as to deploy booms in rivers and tidal waters without boats or anchors. Elastec/American Marine is the largest manufacturer of oil spill recovery equipment in North America with global distribution in 145 countries.

12 Dec 2011

NAMEPA’s Maitland Addresses Leaders in China

Clay Maitland, NAMEPA Founding Chairman

At a recent Senior Maritime Forum held in conjunction with Marintec China 2011, Clay Maitland called for marine environment protection as “an essential strategy for corporate risk management”. As NAMEPA’s (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) Founding Chairman, Maitland told the over 400 senior Chinese leaders that “Clean seas are good business”. “In these times of economic pressure, rising insurance costs, and growing regulatory pressure, no shipowner, or charterer, should neglect its risk management procedures,” urged Maitland.

09 Dec 2011

ECRC Repowers With Evinrude

Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC) selected BRP's Evinrude E-TEC engines to repower its 79-boat fleet. The CA$1.5 million contract was awarded to BRP based on Evinrude outboards' low cost of ownership and high environmental standards. ECRC operates six centres in eastern Canada and provides marine oil spill response services in all navigable waters east of the Rocky Mountains. Boats powered by the 30 hp to 225 hp Evinrude E-TEC engines will be at the forefront of chemical and oil spill cleanup throughout Canada and the United States.

14 Nov 2011

Car Carriers Have All-electric Cargo Equipment

MacGregor electrically-driven stern quarter ramp on Cattleya Ace NB 3643; Shin-Kurushima Toyohashi shipyard

MOL’s new generation of ‘eco-friendly’ efficient PCTCs are entering service; they feature MacGregor RoRo access outfits from Cargotec and are the world’s first car carriers to have all of their RoRo equipment electrically-driven. Cargotec’s growing electric-drive RoRo reference portfolio now includes the first vessel to have all-electrically-driven RoRo access equipment entering service. The 4,000-unit pure car truck carrier (PCTC), Iris Ace, is owned and operated by Japanese company, Mitsui O.S.K.

15 Aug 2011

NPREP: Pre-Exercise Public Outreach Events

LOS ANGELES — The Coast Guard announces its National Preparedness Response Exercise Program (NPREP) pre-exercise Public Outreach events to be held Sept. 13, 2011 in Ventura, Calif., free of charge. Government and Industry experts will be facilitating seminars on three topics of interest: Deepwater Horizon Response, Oiled Wildlife Care Network, and Sensitive Sites Strategy, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Static displays such as communications trailers, a HASS-like boat, Patch technology for vessels, off-shore deployment of a Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System (VOSS) from Coast Guard Cutter George Cobb, and others, will be available for viewing from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. The seminars and displays will be held at Robert J.

15 Mar 2011

Consiliums Oil Spill Detection Radar

Image courtesy ÖRN MARKETING AB

The recently launched Oil Spill Radar by Consilium Marine & Safety was tested together with the Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Norwegian Clean Seas Association For Operative Companies (NOFO). Within months since the successful tests last July, the Consilium Oil Spill Detection Radar is celebrating a breakthrough by responding to an increasing demand. The Oil Spill Detection Radar is being used on the Finnish Icebreaker Kontio, commissioned as stand-by Vessel for EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency)…

15 Oct 2010

Rutter Partners on $2m Order, Integrated Oil Spill Solution

Canadian based Rutter Technologies, a division of Rutter Inc. (TSX:RUT), and its Norwegian partner, Aptomar AS, announced orders for six Integrated Oil Spill Response and Management Systems. This comes on the heels of the recent certification of the technology by the Norwegian Clean Seas Association (NOFO) following the conclusion of trials in June. The Integrated Oil Spill Response and Management System provides operators with real-time information about the volume and thickest areas of an oil slick in order to maximize recovery efforts. It combines Rutter’s Sigma S6 radar processor and display with the Aptomar SECurus system. This integration gives the operator the ability make immediate decisions on oil slick detection both onboard vessels and onshore.

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