Marine Emergency Response News

California-based boatbuilder Moose Boats has delivered a new fireboat to the Rochester, N.Y. Fire Department. The M2-38, dubbed Marine 1, is the first Moose in the Great Lakes. With a roof monitor, a cockpit monitor, a 5” large diameter hose Storz discharge, and the ability to pump over 1,500 gallons per minute, this boat will offer greatly increased capabilities to the city and its surrounding communities, the builder said.Rochester Fire Department's new boat has an extended walk-around cabin configured with three shock-mitigating crew seats…

Califronia-based boat builder Moose Boats said it has hired Ken Royal as vice president of sales.Royal has extensive experience operating Moose Boats as a firefighter with the Tiburon Fire Protection District, and training other operators on Moose Boats, and will bring these skills and knowledge to help grow the Moose Boats brand. “Having logged over 15 years serving his district aboard two Moose Boats catamarans, we find his expertise in real world applications to be of great value to both current and prospective Moose Boats clients” said Stephen Dirkes…

Dutch dredging and marine services giant Boskalis has acquired the U.S.-based maritime emergency response specialist Ardent Americas.Ardent, created by the 2015 merger of salvage divisions of Svitzer and Crowley, specializes in emergency preparedness and response, wreck removals, subsea services and decommissioning for the offshore oil and gas industry. Ardent Americas was a subsidiary of Ardent Global Marine Services, headquartered in IJmuiden, the Netherlands.Boskalis has also…

HaiSea Marine, a joint venture partnership between the Haisla First Nation and Seaspan ULC, today announced the signing of a contract award with LNG Canada to design, build and operate escort tugs and harbor tugs required for LNG Canada’s LNG export facility in Kitimat, British Columbia.The value of the contract award is approximately $500 million over 12 years and will result in employment for approximately 70 mariners and six onshore staff, plus other roles for employees of the partner organizations.“HaiSea Marine is majority-owned by the Haisla…

North American marine emergency response service provider Rapid Ocean Response Corporation (RORC) said that the dry bulk shipping company DryLog has joined its network.DryLog,  a subsidiary of international Ceres Shipping Ltd,  will now have access to an always-available, contractually-obligated network of emergency response vessels that facilitates compliance with the U.S. Coast Guard's Salvage & Marine Fire Fighting (SMFF) regulations that address marine firefighting resources.“Safety is our most important priority, and, joining the RORC network bolsters our marine firefighting capabilities, enhancing safety and providing compliance with U.S. maritime laws,” said a spokesperson of DryLog. “Our ships transport millions of dollars of goods in and out of U.S.

Moose Boats, a boat designer and manufacturer in the San Francisco Bay Area, was awarded a contract from the City of Rochester, New York Fire Department for the construction of the first M2-38 Fire Rescue Catamaran to be delivered to the Great Lakes. Twin Cummins 425hp turbo diesel propulsion engines, Twin Disc transmissions and Hamilton water-jets will power the M2-38 aluminum catamaran. Rochester Fire's new Moose Boat will be equipped with a fire pump system flowing over 1,500…

More than 40 U.S. Coast Guard, State of Texas, maritime industry and local emergency responders attended the American Salvage Association’s (ASA) Marine Salvage and Emergency Response training course last month in the Houston-Galveston area presented by the ASA Training Committee. Designed to train students on how to coordinate proactive marine casualty response operations, this two-day program exposed students to a wide variety of course modules led by ASA members and industry experts in salvage law, naval architecture, commercial diving, environmental policy, and emergency response operations. “Since 2003, the ASA has presented a number of Marine Salvage courses every year to Federal…

Ardent, Vernicos Tugs and Salvage, a Greek-based tug & salvage service provider and Environmental Protection Engineering (EPE) a Greek-based Oil Spill Response provider, have formally partnered for future operations within Eastern Mediterranean and the adjacent waters. The three companies signed a cooperation agreement on 20th March 2018 to closely work together on future opportunities and at the same time retain their own corporate identities. Ardent, announces the formation of a partnership with Vernicos Tugs and Environmental Protection Engineering S.A. (EPE). This cooperation strategically combines one of the world’s leading salvage, emergency response and wreck removal company with the largest provider of tugs and the largest pollution control expert in the region.

Maritime services provider Ardent and Singapore Salvage Engineers (SSE) have joined forces for future operations within Singapore and adjacent waters. The two companies signed a cooperation agreement on the 19th of January 2018 to closely work together on future opportunities and at the same time retain their own corporate identities. “Through SSE’s strong background within the immediate region of Singapore and adjacent waters in combination with the diversity of resources they operate, this cooperation enables the provision of high quality, cost efficient and prompt response solutions towards the maritime and offshore industry in this particular region.” said Bas Michiels, Ardent’s Director Asia.

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar officially launched the Coast Guard’s new state-of-the-art S92 search and rescue helicopter for the Dublin region in Weston Airport. This is the fourth Sikorsky S92 helicopter base to come into operation for the Coast Guard and means all four Coast Guard bases now have upgraded helicopters. The new S92 helicopters replace the Sikorsky S61 which was in use until recently at the Coast Guard bases in Dublin, Shannon, Sligo and Waterford.

Resolve Marine Group, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has agreed to acquire Magone Marine Services of Western Alaska. The result, say Resolve, will be a greatly expanded, emergency response and marine services company that combines the local expertise amassed by Magone Marine’s Alaskan salvors with the extensive resources, personnel, and vast salvage & wreck removal experience of Resolve Marine Group. The newly-formed business will be named Resolve-Magone Marine Services…

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar unveiled an Action Plan to improve Maritime Safety and Marine Emergency Response Services, including an overhaul of operations within the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The Action Plan will set up a new, over-arching maritime safety section inside the Department - the Irish Maritime Administration - which will bring together the Irish Coast Guard and the Marine Survey Office. Speaking after Cabinet approved the Action Plan…

Veteran Salvage Master Shelby Harris has been named Titan Salvage’s new director of marine operations in Asia. Shelby will bring more than 15 years of experience responding to large-scale domestic and international salvage and wreck removal projects. He will be based out of the company’s Singapore office and equipment depot, a 45,000-square-foot site west of the city, and report to Titan’s Director of Operations Patrick Keenan. “Shelby is one of the most experienced, innovative and successful salvage masters in our industry,” said Keenan.

Resolve Salvage & Fire (Europe), Ltd., the European emergency response subsidiary of U.S.- based Resolve Marine Group, Inc., has added a new office at 23, Austin Friars, London, expanding the company’s U.K. operations base. The 34-year-old marine salvage, emergency response and wreck removal company has been steadily expanding, both geographically and in its service offerings for the international maritime industry. Joining the new London office is Daniel Dettor, a Commercial Manager formerly based at Resolve’s corporate headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

When Hurricane Sandy swept across the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States in late October 2012, the Category 2 storm eventually became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record. Certainly, it ranks as one of the most costly and destructive. Estimates of losses due to damage and business interruption are still being compiled but are expected to exceed $70 billion. Hundreds died as a result of the ferocious storm. In the United States, at least 24 states were impacted, but the damage was particularly severe in New Jersey and New York. The storm surge slammed into New York City on October 29, flooding streets, tunnels and subways and cut power to a large swath of customers in the tri-state area.

Donjon Marine Co. Inc. of Hillside, NJ, was mobilized from its base in Port Newark, New Jersey, to provide an emergency pumping capability in response to the devastation resulting from Hurricane Sandy. Donjon currently holds the US Navy Salvage and Related Services contract for the North Atlantic zone. The US Navy provided support to the stricken region following a request by the US Army Corps of Engineers. By mobilizing its equipment, Donjon was able to provide “soup to nuts” support to the US Navy response.

RESOLVE Marine Group, Inc. (RESOLVE) announced that John Curley has joined the company as Commercial Director for RESOLVE Salvage & Fire (Europe), Ltd. (RSFA). As Commercial Director of RSFA, Curley is the corporate representative and industry liaison for RESOLVE and its subsidiary companies. In addition to facilitating delivery of services to the company’s OPA90 clients, Curley will promote RESOLVE’s worldwide marine emergency response, salvage, wreck removal and other marine services to ship owners…

The directors of Marine Response Alliance LLC (MRA or Alliance) announced that McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., Inc. (McAllister) has joined the MRA as a full and equal member. McAllister is now united with the other MRA member companies—Crowley Marine Services, Inc. (Crowley), Marine Pollution Control Corporation (MPC), Titan Maritime LLC (Titan) and Marine Hazard Response (MHR)  (a joint venture of Wild Well Control, Inc. and Williams Fire and Hazard Control, Inc.) to provide OPA-90 Salvage and Marine Firefighting services to the maritime community.

TITAN Salvage has enhanced its marine emergency response and wreck removal capabilities in the Far East with the consolidation of its Southeast Asia operating facilities in Singapore. TITAN personnel in Singapore began moving into the new complex - a modern, self-contained 45,000 square foot site to the west of the city - last month. The new site offers ample warehouse, office and storage areas; provides better facilities for the storage, repair and maintenance of the extensive stock of specialized salvage equipment, and allows for more rapid emergency response in the region. The new address is: 8 Tuas Avenue 12, Singapore 639029, and the 24-hour phone number is: +65-63187828.

Resolve Marine Group of Fort Lauderdale, one of the US’ major Marine Emergency Response, Salvage and Fire Fighting experts, is to develop its expertise on a more global basis and has recruited a number of key personnel into its company to achieve this aim. Bob Umbdenstock, marine industry executive and consultant with international management experience in heavy salvage, wreck removal and environmental protection, has joined the company to develop and market the emergency response capabilities Resolve offers to ship owners and managers wishing to comply with statutory planning requirements…

The directors of Seattle-based Marine Response Alliance LLC (MRA) announced the signing of an agreement with Marine Hazard Response to join the Alliance as a full and equal member, effective January 1. Marine Hazard Response (MHR), based in Houston, is a joint venture of Wild Well Control, Inc., and Williams Fire and Hazard Control, Inc., and specializes in marine firefighting and the technical management of marine casualties. MHR will now unite with the other MRA member companies-Crowley Marine Services, Inc. (Crowley), Marine Pollution Control Corporation (MPC) and Titan Maritime LLC (Titan)-to provide access to comprehensive emergency response services, offering OPA '90 compliant capabilities for rescue towing, lightering, fendering, salvage and firefighting in all U.S.

While there is a plethora of marine service companies, many of them family-owned, few can boast six family members actively involved in the business at the same time. Donjon Marine Co., Inc. in Hillside, NJ, is one company to know if you haven't heard of them before. Led by J. Arnold Witte, Sr., Chief Executive Officer and President of the company he founded in 1967, Donjon is a multi-faceted marine service company that offers salvage and wreck removal, but through a controlled expansion, boasts a serious diving capability, marine engineering and heavy lift services, towing, dredging, barge chartering, demolition, and spill clean-up and pollution prevention services.

The holidays this past year presented unique challenges for the salvage industry in the U.S. On Friday Evening, November 26 (Thanksgiving Weekend) the fully laden 60,000 dwt tanker Athos 1 struck an object on the bottom of the Delaware River causing a sizable crude oil spill and a serious list on-board the vessel. A few days later, on December 8, the fully laden 70,000-ton bulk carrier Selendang Ayu lost power off Dutch Harbor, Alaska. It grounded and broke into two pieces spilling both cargo and bunkers into the sea. As the Athos 1 is a tanker, it had a USCG approved Vessel Response Plan (VRP) which was activated immediately. The "Qualified Individual" (required to be named in her VRP by the USCG) activated her Spill Management Team within minutes.