The Ever-Evolving Rapid Response Skimmer
Kvichak’s Rapid Response Skimmers (RRS) are perhaps best known for their use by the U.S. Navy, but the design of these robust and well-designed units has evolved over time and today boasts placement in virtually every major spill organization. When, just this past October, Kvichak Marine won a U.S. Navy contract for 12 30-foot Rapid Response Skimmers (RRS) for delivery over the next 18 months, with options for up to 30 additional skimmers to be delivered through 2019, that wasn’t necessarily earthshaking news. That’s because the aluminum Kvichak RRS is already the Navy’s tier one response asset. The new craft will supplement the Navy’s current fleet of over 85 units in operation in Navy ports worldwide since 1994.
Hands-on Spill Response Training, from the Classroom to the Tank
Training at Ohmsett takes the learning from the classroom to the 2.6 million gallon wave/tow test tank. That’s where students receive hands-on training with the latest spill response equipment and techniques used in the field. Ohmsett, in partnership with Texas A&M National Spill Control School, announced the 2014 Oil Spill Strategies and Tactics training, June 10-13, 2014 and August 26-29, 2014. Each three and a half-day training session emphasizes practical experience in full-scale oil recovery operations in the Ohmsett outdoor wave tank.
Students Protect Inlets from Oil Contamination
A new Texas Tidal Inlet Protection Strategies (TIPS) program, being developed by researchers at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, will soon be in place to protect our state’s sensitive bays and estuaries from the potential harm of offshore oil spills. The bays and estuaries of the Texas coast serve as nurseries for several species of marine organisms including sport fish. These estuaries are connected to the Gulf of Mexico through various inlets. An oil spill in any of these sensitive habitats has the potential to kill fish and even shut down popular tourist areas.
