Pollution Response Equipment News

Environmentally acceptable lubricants required in Oil-to-Sea interfaces where technically feasible. With the recent release of the 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP), vessel owner/operators must review their operational practices for incidental discharge of lubricants to the marine environment. Lubricant discharge limits from oil-to-sea interfaces are just one of 27 specific discharge categories covered by the VGP for vessels to achieve compliance with the US Clean Water Act (CWA).

GPC, Joint Venture, Irvine, Calif., is being awarded a maximum value $250,000,000 Department of Defense contract for services to manage, maintain and operate the emergency ship salvage material system (ESSM) and support the Navy's oil and hazardous substances spill response program. The contractor will be responsible for the full-time manning and management of ESSM facilities, including inventory and periodic maintenance of equipment stored at ESSM complexes, maintenance of all ESSM system equipment for immediate deployment and operation, deploying full operations response teams with pollution control equipment, and providing ESSM operator/technician(s) when required to support the deployment of ESSM salvage and oil pollution response equipment. Work will be performed in Williamsburg, Va.

Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur has responded to a report of a tug and barge that struck an inactive production well-head in Sabine Lake during the early hours of Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008. The well-head pipe was broken off approximately six feet above the water line and is releasing natural gas, condensate, and water. Although there are no threats to the public onshore, there is a light sheen in the area and the Coast Guard encourages marine traffic to stay clear. Results from an over flight conducted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and Coast Guard indicate no shoreline impacts in either Texas or Louisiana at this time. Initial reports suggest that there was no damage to the tug and barge.

The Empress of the North was re-floated on Sunday. The vessel grounded Friday morning on the Columbia River, near Washougal, Wash. The vessel is currently underway to a dry-dock facility on Swan Island in Portland, Ore., in order to fully survey damage. Necessary repairs will be completed after a full damage assessment is done. A thorough inspection will be conducted by Coast Guard Sector Portland prior to the vessel's return to service. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and personnel from the salvage company will remain with the vessel to monitor its transit. A safety zone will remain in effect around the vessel during the transit. The removal of approximately 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel was completed late Saturday night.

The Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Louisiana are working together with local industries to recover spilled oil and mitigate further environmental damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Federal On Scene Coordinator has established a forward operating base in Baton Rouge, La., to coordinate the pollution response efforts. The Murphy Oil Corporation, near Chalmette, estimated 16,000 barrels of oil have been discharged, with the vast majority contained within the existing secondary containment unit located on refinery property. Oil recovery operations are currently on going. During the hurricane, an unknown quantity of oil escaped the secondary containment and affected the surrounding neighborhoods.