Conservation Department News

Regarding the massive spill of polypropylene plastic pellets into the Hong Kong waters from a cargo ship during typhoon Vicente in July 2012, and following active negotiations amongst the parties concerned, a Hong Kong Marine Department spokesperson said a settlement agreement was reached for a sum to be paid by the party concerned to the government to compensate the costs it incurred in cleaning up the plastic pellets. The spokesperson explained that due to the complexity of the legal issues involved…

Maersk Container Industry calls for tougher enforcement of European environmental legislation regarding reefer containers. "We urge the European Commission to ensure enforcement of existing EU legislation regarding insulation foam in reefer containers," says Peter K. Nymand, CEO for Maersk Container Industry. "This would benefit the environment, and it would help European innovation and environmental investments pay off," Nymand adds. Current EU legislation bans the "import" or "placing on the market" of reefer containers with significant potential to damage the climate and ozone layer. But thousands of such containers nevertheless circulate in Europe's internal market on virtually the same market conditions as more environmentally friendly reefers.

On Nov. 4, The Marine Department co-ordinated an annual joint exercise in the waters off Tsing Lung Garden, Tuen Mun, to test the response and efficiency of government departments and oil companies in handling oil spills. A Marine Department spokesman said the anti-oil pollution exercise, code-named "Oilex 2008", enabled personnel of related organizations to have key functions in dealing with oil spills and individual and team knowledge, skills and capabilities examined. As well as the Marine Department, five government departments, the Civil Aid Service, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Government Flying Service, Police Force…

Advances in steel processing have enabled shipyards around the globe to streamline operations while vastly improving efficiency and quality. This fact is not lost on the shipyards of the Gulf of Mexico region, which in recent years have invested tens of millions of dollars in advanced systems designed to propel their yards into world class levels of quality and efficiency. Bender Shipbuilding’s transformation from a so-called “second tier” shipyard into a world-class facility is hinged on the success of its newly opened First Operations Shop. The new facility, which features the installation of a high powered laser cutting machine, will include operations such as raw plate and profile receipt and storage…

Worldwide, the road to success in the ship and boatbuilding market is literally paved with companies that have gone belly up, been acquired or are currently hanging by a literal thread. Many factors -- from too many booms and busts, to foreign shipbuilding subsidies, to political power plays - have conspired to make the business of building boats and ships increasingly difficult. But in the end analysis, the process of building vessels remains an industrialized manufacturing process, and the companies that have survived and prospered are the ones that have invested in the latest technologies to make the process more efficient. Improved steel processing - from cutting through parts marking to final installation - more so than ever determine a yard's marketability…

With origins as a family-owned repair yard tracing back to the 1920s, Steiner Shipyard has evolved into a present-day incorporated shipyard, with diversified interests. To be sure, fishing vessels - the company's bread and butter - still remain a priority for the Bayou la Batre, Ala.-based builder, but the company has found success in its diversification into workboats and passenger vessels, as well. In 1927, William Steiner (grandfather of present owner Russell Steiner), and his sons Joseph and Clarence (Russell's father) built six bay shrimpers. At the time, says Russell, they were considered big boats, measuring 46 ft. in length. The Steiner family owned and operated the vessels while continuing to run the repair yard. Two of the vessels, Sea Gull and Eagle, are still in use today.

The Eufala Police Department, in Alabama, recently unveiled a well-equipped boat for the purpose of search and rescue. The boat was presented to the department by the Alabama Marine Police. After some restoration and a new coat of marine paint, the boat only lacked a few essential items - primarily electronic equipment. Police Lieutenant Todd Register then contacted Techsonic Industries, and asked for a donation of a depth finder for the new rig. The company not only considered the request, but took it a step further. According to Techsonic President Charlie Stott, the company saw an opportunity to create perhaps the finest equipped search and rescue boat in the country. Techsonic first installed an NS-25, a sonar/GPS combination unit, which employs state-of-the-art C-Map cartography.

A multi-agency pollution response training event will be conducted in the Juneau area during this week from May 13-15. The exercise is being coordinated under the Preparedness for Response Exercise Program, which has established requirements for periodically exercising oil spill response contingency plans throughout the country. A joint exercise team, consisting of local oil spill response planners, has been meeting to plan this exercise since January. A specialized team of Coast Guard exercise planners from the National Strike Force Coordination Center in North Carolina facilitated the team throughout the planning process. The Juneau Delta Western facility volunteered to participate as the lead industry planner for the exercise.