News: Vessels

Rocknes Successfully Parbuckled

On March 30, 2004, the parbuckling of MV Rocknes in Agotnes, Norway, was completed by SMIT Salvage. After two months of preparations, a two-day-long unique operation ensued as the vessel was pulled upright from its upside-down position. The salvors used the Dive Support/Salvage Vessel SMIT Orca, two immersion and salvage pontoons mounted on a semi-submersible flattop barge which together supported the pulling winches, and a supporting barge. On March 28, after pulling the vessel into this 130-degree gradient, salvors pumped water out and air into the vessel in order for it to reach its original draft depth. A team then proceeded with the conservation of onboard instruments and machinery, while the salvors sprayed parts of the vessel with anti-corrosion material. The Rocknes is a 544.6 ft. Dynamic Positioned Flexible Fallpipe Vessel that capsized in January 2004 after hitting a shallow in the Vatlestraumen strait near Bergen, Norway. In this accident, 18 crewmembers lost their lives.

$10M Fine for Oil Spill

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts said that Bouchard Transportation Co. has agreed to plead guilty to violation of federal law relating to a 2003 oil spill in Buzzards Bay and to pay a criminal fine in the amount of $10 million. The company will institute a maritime compliance program and will disclose to the government the results of its internal investigation. The government alleges that the company negligently violated the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) because its employee, the mate on watch on the tug, operated the tug in a negligent manner and because the company had allowed the mate to remain at the helm despite repeated concerns raised about his competency. The government also alleges that the company violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). (HK Law)

GLDD Receives Dump Barge

Atlantic Marine in Jacksonville, Fla. recently completed construction of a 7,100 cu.yd. hydro dump barge, GL-66, for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. (GLDD) of Oak Brook, Ill. From the cutting of the first plate to launching was only 24 weeks, reportedly delivered on-time and on-budget. The vessel measures 277 x 63.5 ft. (84.4 x 19.4 m) with a 27.3 ft. (8.3 m) depth. "I have been part of many new construction projects, and the building of the GL-66 at Atlantic Marine was a very positive experience," said David Coombs, naval architect, GLDD. "Never before did I have to spend less than five percent of my time with a shipyard during a new construction project."

Galtex Pilots Order New Jet Boat

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding started construction on its first water-jet-propelled pilot boat for the Galtex pilots in Galveston, Texas. Delivery is planned for March 2005. The Galtex pilots chose waterjets to avoid costly repairs to propellers and shafts from debris in Galveston harbor, particularly at high speeds, and enjoy improved maneuverability and safety during boarding and pilot rescues, said Peter Duclos, shipyard president. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates of Boston, with its continually-evolving deep-V hull the all-aluminum vessel measures 70 ft. overall, with a 21-ft. beam and a 3.9-ft. draft. Powered by twin Cummins KTA38-M2 diesel engines, each producing a conservative 1,300 bhp at 1,800 rpm, the boats will be driven by Hamilton HM 571 water jets. Each engine will turn a remote-mounted Reinjtes WVS 430/1 gearbox. Top speed is expected to reach 30 knots. The engines feature Cummins' Centinel oil lube management systems, which continually add fresh oil to replace oil burned through the fuel system. The Centinel systems combined with the Eliminator oil lube filtering systems lengthen oil change intervals to more than 4,000 operating hours, said Duclos.

First 123-ft Deepwater System Cutter Delivered

The first Deepwater surface asset under the Integrated Deepwater System was recently delivered, with U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thomas H. Collins accepting delivery of the vessel and returning the CG Ensign to the USCG Cutter Matagorda at Bollinger Shipyards, in Lockport, La. The ceremony celebrated the delivery of the first newly completed 123-ft. patrol boat, USCGC Matagorda, manufactured by HBJV, a joint venture of Bollinger Shipyards LLC and VT Halter Marine, Inc of Gulfport, Miss. HBJV is a sub-contractor to Northrop Grumman Ships Systems sector, a partner in Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS), a joint venture of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

M/T Arca Double Hulled

The V. Ships-managed, and Shell Canada-owned bunker barge M/T Arca, which operates in Montréal harbor supplying bunker oil to other vessels, is currently in the Verreault drydock for conversion to a double-hull vessel. The process, which will take about three months to complete, comes in advance of proposed legislation that will likely demand that all Canadian oil tankers have a second hull.