Oil Pollutants News

Sea Machines is bringing autonomous self-driving systems to the world of workboats. At an impressive virtual reality demonstration seen late last year and then again at a frigid, late winter visit to the Boston waterfront, the future of workboat technology became all too evident for this writer. The late George Allen, former head coach of the Washington Redskins football team perhaps said it best when he coined the phrase, “The future is now.” If so, then Michael Johnson, the founder of Sea Machines Robotics has brought that reality to the marine industry. The technology company targets the emerging market of autonomous marine vessels. That’s not some sort of futuristic vision; those capabilities are here, now.

Under a contract with Rosneft to create a microbial medication for northern seas signed in 2014, scientists of Moscow State University’s biological faculty have identified about 100 microorganisms able to decompose oil and petroleum products at low temperatures including below zero ones. Over one year, more than 250 samples of water have been tested in Russia’s major northern ports, as well as by the shoreline of northern cities like Murmansk, Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky, etc. As a result, the scientists have discovered that it had taken a long time for the microorganisms to adapt, yet now they use petroleum products as food. The study has used bacterium which adapted to oil pollution in a natural way, which is why they are totally environmentally friendly.

The UK P&I Club offered the following briefing on Chinese marine pollution law. Ship owners and operators trading in Chinese waters face an extensive set of new legal and regulatory requirements governing their roles and responsibilities in oil pollution incidents. China’s Prevention and Control of Marine Pollution from Ships Regulation was implemented on 1st March 2010. It dovetails with the Marine Environment Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, laying down the principles and outlining the country’s marine pollution legal system. However, the detailed requirements under the Regulation have yet to be revealed. Chinese ministries have other supplementary regulations in the pipeline, such as the management and funding of a ship oil pollution compensation fund.

A Remotely Piloted Surface Vessel (RPSV) will be unveiled at the Navy League Air Sea and Space Exhibition Washington DC 26-28 March 2002 by Boston Whaler Commercial and Government Products Inc, a Brunswick Corporation boatbuilding division. Developed jointly by Boston Whaler, Global Atlantic Inc. and Smart boat Inc., the 15 foot fiberglass hull of the RPSV is propelled by a 2.5 litre V6 cylinder 175hp Mercury SportJet water jet giving a speed capability in excess of 40 knots. offered with a gasoline engine, a diesel or multi-fuel variant will be optional in the near future. Selection of Boston Whaler as lead contractor to supply the…