Pollution Response
"One Call" Offers SPRO Services in Over 160 China Ports
Shanghai Resolve-Shengmin OSRO Company, Ltd. (SRSOC), a Level 1 Ship Pollution Response Organization (SPRO), has introduced its wide network of Ship Pollution Response Organization (SPRO) partners throughout China. Known as "One Call", the consortium can now arrange China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) certified Level 1 SPRO coverage for ships calling in any coastal port in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Since January 2012, SRSOC has offered statutorily required ship pollution response readiness in Shanghai and most China ports. Through the "One Call" consortium, MSA- certified SPRO coverage is also available in more than 160 deepwater ports and terminals in the PRC. For coverage in the few ports not covered by the "One Call" consortium, a newly approved agency, Shanghai Resolve Maritime Consultants Company, Ltd. (SRMCL), will advise ship owners and arrange SPRO coverage on a voyage or longer term basis. Together, the "one call" consortium and SRMC offer ship owners a complete range of simplified solutions to the challenging task of securing qualified SPRO coverage in China, under the terms of a MSA-approved contract. The coverage offered by SRMC is competitively priced and acceptable to international P&I clubs as well.
EMSA Oil Recovery Vessel Contracts Signed
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has finalized contracts to strengthen its pollution response coverage in the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. UK ship owner James Fisher Everard will provide a pollution response arrangement based on a pool of three vessels normally trading between the UK and Ireland. Spanish company Mureloil will provide a pool of two vessels which operate in southern Spain. Maltese ship owner Tankship Management will add a vessel to the
PCCI Awarded Contract in Support of Navy's Response Program
PCCI, Inc. was awarded an indefinite quantity contract by the Atlantic Division of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) for services in support of the Navy's Oil Pollution Response Program at Various Locations within the Atlantic Division, NAVFAC's area of responsibility. PCCI responsibilities include: development and updates of facility response plans required under OPA 90, oil and hazardous substance spill contingency plans for both domestic and overseas locations
Florida - USCG Pollution-Response Exercise
Coast Guard members from Sector St. Petersburg, Fla., and the Coast Guard Cutter Joshua Appleby, homeported in St. Petersburg, along with personnel from Port Manatee, conducted a pollution-response exercise at the Port of Manatee in Palmetto on Nov. 13. The exercise was aimed at testing and improving the Coast Guard's ability to assemble, deploy and operate a Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System (VOSS). A VOSS is used to isolate and collect the spilled substance during or after a spill
OSRO Builds Chinese Pollution Control Consortium
In response to regulations enacted on March 1, 2010 on the Prevention and Control of Vessel-Induced Marine Environment Pollution, a Hong Kong based firm – OSRO China Ltd - has laid the foundation for a consortium of oil spill response contractors throughout China’s ports that fulfills China’s latest pollution control legislation. Head of the Hong Kong operation, David Schaus said: “From our past experience and relationships with oil sludge collection contractors
Coast Guard Responds to Sunken Towing Vessel in Mississippi River
The Coast Guard is supervising the salvage and pollution response operations of a sunken towing vessel in the Mississippi River at Mile Marker 161.5 near New Orleans, Thursday, March 7. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report around 2 a.m. Thursday that the 56-foot towing vessel Justice, owned by River Ventures LLC, had begun taking on water and sank around midnight. The vessel was carrying 5336 gallons of diesel fuel and 100 gallons of lube oil when it sank.
Coast Guard Strike Team Members Return to U.S.
Eleven members of the Coast Guard National Strike Force are scheduled to return to the United States this week, after deploying to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 11 members are assigned to the Pacific Strike Team in Novato, Calif.; the Atlantic Strike Team in Ft. Dix, N.J.; the Gulf Strike Team in Mobile, Ala.; and the National Strike Force Coordination Center in Elizabeth City, N.C.
IMO Establishes New Division to Reinforce Security
Enhanced focus on maritime security in IMO Secretariat IMO Secretary-General, Efthimios E. Mitropoulos, has established a new subdivision within the IMO Secretariat’s Maritime Safety Division to reinforce the high priority given by the Organization to matters of maritime security. The new sub-division will provide a stronger focus on security matters and will address the complimentary issue of facilitation of maritime traffic
Southwest Pass Closes for Lee III Recovery
The U.S. Coast Guard was scheduled to close the Mississippi River's Southwest Pass for approximately eight to 10 hours on February 29, for recovery and salvage of the Lee III. A safety zone spanning the entire width and length of the pass will be enforced. The crane barges Lilli Bisso and Cappy Bisso are scheduled to lift the Lee III onto a deck barge and gently lift it to the surface where operations to remove the remaining fuel will commence
Maritime New Zealand Supports Spill Response
Two technical experts from Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) have flown to the U.S. at the invitation of one of the oil spill response companies assisting with the clean-up of the Gulf of Mexico spill. An oil spill equipment technician and a response planning officer from MNZ’s Marine Pollution Response Service (MPRS) have been seconded to support the Deepwater Horizon spill response. They will be working for Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSR)
Key Salvage Issues for 2013 – and Beyond…
This is a good time to look aft and reflect on the accomplishments achieved in 2012, as well as to the distant horizon to see what challenges loom in 2013, and beyond. It is fair to say that the Coast Guard and salvage industry have come a long way in the last few years with implementation of a
Emergency Personnel Participate in Oil Spill Response Program
Nearly 250 first responders participated in a National Preparedness Response Exercise Program in Los Angeles including U.S. Coast Guard, Chevron, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and Response, NOAA, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
Shipwrecks Pose US Sea Pollution Threat
New NOAA report presented to the US Coast Guard examines national oil pollution threat from shipwrecks in US waters. The report finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation's coastal marine resources
NOAA Report Examines Shipwreck Oil Pollution Threat
NOAA presented to the U.S. Coast Guard today a new report that finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation’s coastal marine resources. Of those, 17 were recommended for further assessment and potential removal of both fuel
Crowley’s First Ocean Class Tugboat Performs Inaugural Job in Cuba
The first of four Crowley Maritime Corporation ocean class tugboats, Ocean Wave, completed its inaugural project earlier this month by removing a grounded containership from the northern coast of Cuba. The job is additionally significant because it utilized many of Crowley’s unique
NY Nor'easter Fails to Prevent 'Sandy' Pollution Clean-up
In anticipation of the winter storm which came on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, spill response teams based on New York’s Staten Island stopped work for just a day. NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration is continuing aerial surveys of Arthur Kill
'Oil Spills in Arctic Waters' Published by US ARC
The US Arctic Research Council (ARC) in association with others, reports on research & mitigation measures for oil spills in the Arctic marine area. This “white paper” is a compilation of research on oil spills in ice-covered Arctic waters and recommendations for future work
Staten Island Sandy Victim Tankship Salvaged
Hurricane 'Sandy' pollution response US Coast Guard unified command completes tank vessel lift on Staten Island, NY. The tank vessel John B. Caddell is a 184-foot tanker ship that washed up on Staten Island as a result of high winds and floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy
Australia Takes Steps to Improve Pollution Incident Response
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) & the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisatio (CSIRO) join forces. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, ASMA will draw on the scientific knowledge and technical support of CSIRO before, during and after a
Tanker Response Continues on Hudson River
The Coast Guard is continuing to oversee the response to a motor tanker that suffered a hull breach to their ballast tank on the Hudson River near Stuyvesant, N.Y. Thursday. Coast Guard Sector New York was notified Thursday that the 600-foot motor tanker, Stena Primorsk
Hudson River Damaged Tankship Anchored Safely
The Coast Guard continues to oversee the response to damaged motor tanker 'Stena Primorsk' on the Hudson River near Stuyvesant, N.Y. Coast Guard Sector New York was notified Thursday that the 600-foot motor tanker, Stena Primorsk, began listing after suffering a hull breach while transiting
Tankship Scrapes By Bay Bridge, San Francisco
The Coast Guard is investigating the incident where the tankshilp reported to the USCG it had allided with Tower Six of the bridge. The 752-foot Marshall Island’s-registered tanker Overseas Reymar reported to the Coast Guard at approximately 11:20 a.m
Coast Guard Investigating Allision at Bay Bridge, San Francisco
The Coast Guard is investigating a vessel allision with the San Francisco Bay Bridge. The 752-foot Marshall Island's-registered tanker Overseas Reymar reported to the Coast Guard at approximately 11:20 a.m. that it had allided with tower six of the Bay Bridge in the San Francisco Bay
Barge Allision in Mississippi River Causes Spill
Coast Guard responds to report of crude oil in Mississippi River. A unified command has been established in response to a report of crude oil in the lower Mississippi River near mile marker 434 in Vicksburg, Miss., Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River
Transas Installs Jordan VTS System
Transas Middle East instals & commissions standalone AIS solution at the Port of Aqaba, Jordan. Transas standalone AIS solution incorporates the latest VTS technology and meets all international standards. At the core of the system is Transas AIS Base station T214