Marine Oil Spill News

When discussing the arrival of autonomous workboats, many – especially those developing the technologies that enable them – say it’s is not a matter of if, but when. In fact, autonomous harbor tugs are already being put to the test in Singapore, where authorities hope to establish the technological infrastructure to enable fully autonomous ship operations. In the U.S., an autonomous vessel was shown to be able to respond to marine oil spills.But is autonomy really the future?

As a part of its cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), Boston-based Sea Machines Robotics announces that it has successfully demonstrated its autonomous systems in action on board a Kvichak Marco skimmer boat during events held along the Portland harbor earlier today.Sea Machines’ technology opens a new era of capability for the marine industry, and today the company demonstrated its ability to increase the safety, productivity and predictability of response for marine oil-spill operations.

Sea Machines Robotics has been a progressive leader in advancing autonomy in the maritime space, and today it announced a deal with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd) to demonstrate the value of Sea Machines’ autonomous technology in marine oil-spill response ops. The scope of the deal has Sea Machines installing its SM300 autonomous-command system aboard a Marine Spill Response Corp. (MSRC)-owned MARCO skimming vessel and will train MSRC personnel to operate the system.

Myanmar is the latest country to benefit from International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s work to enhance marine oil spill preparedness and response in the ASEAN region.A press note from the UN agency informed that a training course for senior officials and members of the national oil spill management team is taking place in Yangon, Myanmar (12-14 November).The training is focused on the effective response to oil spills, including on both managing risks from shipping and incident management. It builds on on-going efforts by the Myanmar National Task Force for the development of the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, which is reaching finalization.The training course coincides with the completion of the plan…

A training event on oil spill preparedness and response for countries in eastern Africa, was held in Dar Es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania (6-9 November).The  relevant government agency representatives with responsibilities in spill response in the countries like Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Somalia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda have participated in the training."In the event of a marine oil spill, relevant government agencies in the affected region need to manage and coordinate a response," a release from International Maritime Organization (IMO) explained the scenario.The…

In mid-February, Lamor Corporation demonstrated a new way to recover oil by deploying the Lamor Marine Oil Spill Sweeper LMOS 15 Speed Skimming system in Halifax, Canada in cooperation with their local representative, Griffin Engineered Systems, for Canadian response organizations and companies, represented by Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC), Canadian Coast Guard, Department of Defense (DND), ALERT and RMI Marine. Despite the harsh weather conditions Halifax harbor that day…

An interview with NOIA’s Randall Luthi provides unique perspective on where the offshore energy business has been, where it is now, and where it could be headed next. It is a predictable but at the same time, an important anniversary to examine: five years beyond the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which began on 20 April 2010 on the BP-owned, Transocean-operated Macondo Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico. Widely considered to be the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the energy industry, oil flowed from the sea floor for 87 days until capped in mid-July. The environmental impact is well documented, the ultimate impact of the incident on the offshore and oil industries today has been profound, lasting and without a doubt, it made the offshore business safer.

In the wake of increased environmental scrutiny and potentially expanding liability issues, oil spill remediation continues to be of great interest to marine operations. While most outsiders think of oil spills in terms of major failures or leaks, more common oil leakage or lubricant discharges from marine equipment result in millions of gallons of oil being released into the aquatic environment each year. Leaks, which are very difficult to prevent, far outpace catastrophic events and result in lost productivity, environmental damage, costly fines and remediation and negative public image.

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) says it invites submissions on its draft updated New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Response Strategy 2014 (the draft Strategy). The draft Strategy, (available at http://bit.ly/1pe6p46) is based on the current version but substantially updated to include lessons learned nationally and internationally in recent years and follows discussion with regional councils, the community and iwi, and industry at a series of public held earlier this year. The safety agency points out that it is important to note that the strategy does not cover the permitting and approval process for oil and gas exploitation. Neither does it cover emergency response to other hazardous and noxious substances. These issues are “out-of-scope” of this strategy.

Elastec/American Marine say that quality and dependability made all the difference when the state oil company of Ecuador decided recently to purchase its oil spill response equipment. PetroEcuador recently acquired two ELASTEC TDS136G grooved drum skimmers, two ELASTEC SeaSkater weir skimmers, a PACS1000-770, two ELASTEC BoomVane™ units, 60 sections of oil containment boom and ten QuickTanks. The oil spill response equipment will be used at PetroEcuador’s Esmeraldas facility, the country’s largest and most important refinery. Elastec skimmers have been in service there for over six years, and that track record, Elastec’s grooved drum…

Canada moved on Tuesday to strengthen its response plan for oil spills at sea ahead of the development of new pipelines that would sharply increase tanker traffic in Canadian waters if they are built. Among the new measures, the federal government said it would remove a per-incident liability cap on a domestic clean-up fund, which means that all the money in the fund could be made available to clean up a single spill. It also pledged to cover spill costs if clean-up funds were exhausted. It also said it will lift its ban on the use of dispersants in cases when using them offers a net environmental benefit. Dispersants are chemicals that break down oil slicks but can also harm marine life.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that results to a new study conducted by a team of NOAA and academic scientists suggest that crude oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster causes severe defects in the developing hearts of bluefin and yellowfin tunas. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, show how the largest marine oil spill in United States history…

The report aims to improve Canada's system for ship-source oil spill preparedness and response in order to better protect the public and the environment. "I want to thank the panel for its detailed, thoughtful work, and the invaluable expertise they have brought to this critical issue," said The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport. "I look forward to studying the report, speaking with stakeholders about their views, and discussing it with my cabinet colleagues. The independent panel consulted with pan-Canadian industry stakeholders…

A comprehensive study assessing current marine-spill preparedness & response capabilities has been released by British Columbia. The study also outlines necessary improvements to achieve a world-class system to ensure B.C.'s coast is protected from potential marine spills. Nuka Research, an international expert in spill preparedness and response, had been commissioned by the provincial government to undertake the study so B.C. could better understand the federal government's ability to deal with a spill off the west coast.

Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC) selected BRP's Evinrude E-TEC engines to repower its 79-boat fleet. The CA$1.5 million contract was awarded to BRP based on Evinrude outboards' low cost of ownership and high environmental standards. ECRC operates six centres in eastern Canada and provides marine oil spill response services in all navigable waters east of the Rocky Mountains. Boats powered by the 30 hp to 225 hp Evinrude E-TEC engines will be at the forefront of chemical and oil spill cleanup throughout Canada and the United States.

The European Commission (EC) issued a Press Release

Seacor Smit Inc. announced net earnings for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1998 of $29,246,000 on revenues of $92,791,000. For the 12 months ended December 31, 1998, net earnings were $125,927,000. Seacor Smit and its subsidiaries engage in two primary activities: operation of a diversified fleet of marine vessels primarily dedicated to supporting offshore oil and gas exploration and development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offshore West Africa, the North Sea, Mexico, the Far East and Latin America, and provision of environmental services domestically and internationally, including marine oil spill response, training, and consulting.

Seacor Smit Inc. announced net earnings for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 1998 of $29,246,000 on revenues of $92,791,000. For the 12 months ended December 31, 1998, net earnings were $125,927,000. Seacor Smit and its subsidiaries engage in two primary activities: operation of a diversified fleet of marine vessels primarily dedicated to supporting offshore oil and gas exploration and development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offshore West Africa, the North Sea, Mexico, the Far East and Latin America, and provision of environmental services domestically and internationally, including marine oil spill response, training, and consulting.

Seacor Smit Inc. announced net earnings for the third quarter ending Sept. 30 of $5 million on revenues of $71.9 million. Results for the quarter included a charge of $2.6 million for additional income tax expense related to the company's decision to liquidate a foreign joint venture, and an extraordinary gain of $890,000 relating to the early retirement of debt. In the same period a year ago, Seacor earned $26.4 million, on revenues of $100 million. Results for the quarter ending Sept. 30 included a loss of $789,000 related to Seacor's investment in Globe Wireless LLC that is accounted for under the equity method. Results for the quarter also included a loss of $347,000 related to its investment in a majority-owned subsidiary, Chiles Offshore LLC.