Ardent in for Major Expansion in India
Before the furious monsoon and tropical cyclones hit South East Asia, Ardent, the amalgamation of two salvage giants, has already positioned itself to tackle the growing number of accidents and casualties that become a regular feature this time of the year. Ardent is also responding to the recent initiatives of the Indian Shipping Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari, who is focused strongly on setting up new ports, augment capacity of existing ports, develop coastal shipping, passenger ferry services, lighthouse and cruise tourism, island development and other services related to Indian Maritime Sector. The company sees this as an important driver for Ardent.
COSCO Delivers PSV to COSL
On July 22, COSCO (Dalian) Shipyard delivered a platform supply vessel (PSV), ¡°Hai Yang Shi You 660¡±, to China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL), the Chinese shipbuilder announced. The vessel measures 85.4 meters LOA, 20 meters in breadth, 8.6 meterd in depth and has a deck space of 1,000 square meters. It is designed to transport supplies and crew, as well as provide rescue and fire-fighting services for offshore platforms. The production design of the vessel was completed by COSCO (Dalian) Shipyard. COSCO Dalian has undertaken to build two PSVs for COSL. The other one is being readied for sea trials. COSCO Shipyards has secured orders for a total of four offshore supply vessels (OSVs) from COSL.
Seychelles Conducts Oil Spill Exercise
A major exercise in implementing the national contingency plan for anti-pollution, search and rescue, and fire fighting was held in the waters off Mahé on 4 June. This complex exercise was carried out by a range of different agencies including the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force, Fire Fighting Services and Port Authority. The EUNAVFOR Atalanta Flagship Brandenburg also took part in the exercise, EUCAP Nestor experts provided support for the planning, preparations as well as its execution. The Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority and the Ministry of Environment and Energy were also involved.
IES Maritime Fire-Fighting Services Now Serves US East Coast
Industrial Emergency Services LLC (IES) says that as part of its ongoing nationwide expansion of land-based and maritime emergency response and related safety services, it has added capabilities on the East Coast to supplement its existing Gulf Coast and West Coast infrastructure. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA, IES informs that the East Coast locations include Linwood, PA and Fort Lauderdale, FL. The bases add to IES’s capability to respond not only for marine firefighting incidents as part of the alliance with SVITZER Salvage…
LR Alert on US Vessel Response Plans for Non-Tank Vessels
Applicability: Non-tank vessels of 400 gt or more of any flag, which are self-propelled, carrying oil of any kind as fuel, and bound for a port or place in the U.S. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has published a Final Rule which took effect on 30 October, 2013, requiring owners or operators of non-tank vessels to submit oil spill response plans (known as Non-Tank Vessel Response Plans (NTVRPs)) by January 30, 2014. Non-tank vessels are vessels other than tank vessels. Tank vessels are generally defined as those constructed or adapted to carry oil in bulk as cargo or as oil cargo residue. The NTVRP Rule updates, and aligns with, the existing IMO and US MARPOL Annex I requirements for a Shipboard Oil Pollution and Emergency Plan (SOPEP)…
Non-tank Vessel Response Rules – Their Impact Examined
Long awaited, much hyped, the new rules require compliance in January. Will industry and more importantly, the response community, be ready? In September, the U.S. Coast Guard published the long awaited Non-tank Vessel Response Plan (NTVRP) and Other Response Plan regulations. The U.S. Coast Guard cites “Improved preparedness and reaction to an incident, including a worst case discharge, and improved effectiveness of shore-side and onboard response activities” as the primary benefits of the new rule. For all affected vessels, a mandatory compliance date of January 30, 2014 looms large the porthole. The regulations impact self-propelled non-tank vessels of 400 gross tons or greater that operate in navigable waters of the United States and carry any kind of oil as fuel for main propulsion.
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 capabilities, equipment and established relationships with Cuban entities and government to complete the job quickly despite many challenges. The project’s success hinged on a coordinated and timely response from Antilliana De Salvemento, the Cuban salvage company which subcontracted Titan Salvage, Crowley’s Pompano, Fla.-based emergency response, marine salvage and wreck removal company, and Houston-based T&T Marine Salvage, to assist with the removal of the stricken containership.
