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Oil Pollution Response News

13 Oct 2022

Grandweld Delivers Four New Tugs for Shuwaikh Port

(Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.)

Grandweld Shipyard in Dubai has delivered four new tractor tugs for operations in Kuwait’s Shuwaikh Port.The four TRAktor 2700-Z vessels Ghanim-1, Ghanim-2, Ghanim-3 and Ghanim-4 were designed by Robert Allan Ltd., who worked closely with the Grandweld Shipyard to develop the customized design of the previously built 27-meter TRAktor tug series. The tugs were engineered to perform multiple tasks including ship assist, escort, towing, fire fighting, oil pollution response and others.Each vessel is powered by two Caterpillar 3512C main engines…

04 Feb 2022

Grandweld Building New Tugs for Kuwait Ports

(Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.)

Dubai shipbuilder Grandweld Shipyards held a keel laying ceremony for two of total four high-performance TRAktor 2700-Z tugs, on January 26, 2022.The tugs were ordered by Specialities Construction for General Trading and Contracting Company (SCC) and will be operated by Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) in Kuwait’s Shuwaikh Port. Expected to enter service by August 2022, the tugs can perform multiple tasks including ship assist, escort, towing, fire fighting, oil pollution response and others.Robert Allan Ltd.

19 Aug 2020

Wakashio Spill Highlights Importance of Adopting Latest International Legal Instruments

(Satellite image ©2020 Maxar Technologies)

The ongoing oil pollution incident from the grounded 203,000 DWT bulk carrier MV Wakashio is threatening an ecological catastrophe around the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, endangering corals, fish and other marine life already under threat from climate change (IPCC 2018).In addition, it risks bringing devastating consequences for the economy, food security, health and tourism industry. Tourism in Mauritius - a popular destination for its pristine beaches - reportedly contributed about $1.6 billion to its economy during the last year…

28 Aug 2019

Haisla Nation, Seaspan ink LNG Canada Tug Deal

Front row L to R: Bart Reynolds, President Seaspan Marine, Crystal Smith, Chief Councillor Haisla Nation, Frank Butzelaar, CEO Seaspan Marine Transportation – Back row: Representatives from Seaspan, the Haisla Nation and union leadership witnessed the signing of the agreement.

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…

12 Dec 2018

2018 Green Apple Spill Exercise

Committed to providing tugboat and towing vessel operators with a platform to meet regularity requirements and collaborate with local resources, the annual event also reminds us that Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.On September 28 2018, American Marine Associates, LLC (AMA) coordinated and hosted the 3rd annual Green Apple Spill Response Exercise in Bayonne, NJ. The Green Apple Spill Response exercise was established specifically for the tugboat and towing vessel industry operating in New York Harbor.

25 Sep 2017

China Workshop Discusses Oil Pollution Response

Current research and technical developments in oil spill preparedness and response were in the spotlight at a major seminar in Tianjin, China (20-21 September). The International Oil Spill Response Technical Seminar brought together over 150 representatives of national government, oil industry and oil spill response companies. International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Colleen O’Haghan presented on the Organization’s International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) – the treaty covering measures for dealing with pollution incidents, either nationally or in cooperation with other countries. The seminar was organized by Yantai MSA and CNOOC Energy Technology and Service Safety and Environmental Protection Co. under the GI China Project.

19 Apr 2017

Belgium Accedes to Oil Pollution Response Treaty

Belgium has become the 112th State to accede to International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC).    The treaty establishes measures for dealing with pollution incidents, either nationally or in cooperation with other countries.    Laurent Preud'homme, First Secretary of the Embassy of Belgium in the United Kingdom, deposited the instrument at IMO Headquarters in London, today (19 April).   Preud'homme also deposited the instrument of accession for the Protocol to the OPRC relating to hazardous and noxious substances.

24 Mar 2016

US, Canadian Coast Guards Leaders Discuss Partnership

Julie Gascon, Assistant Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard’s Central and Arctic Region and Rear Adm. June Ryan, the commander of the USCG 9th District met with their employees aboard Coast Guard ships and a CCG helicopter in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie Michigan March 21 2016. (Photo credit: USCG)

Rear Adm. June E. Ryan, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District, was welcomed aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley by Assistant Commissioner Julie Gascon and Captain Signe Gotfredsen of the Canadian Coast Guard, Central and Arctic Region Monday. After a relatively mild winter on the Great Lakes escorting ships through ice and preventing ice jams, the Samuel Risley was upbound through the Soo Locks and the St. Marys River to Lake Superior for further icebreaking at the Port of Thunder Bay and buoy-tending duties.

04 Dec 2013

NZ Safety Agency Alotted Extra Funds on Back of Shipwreck Report

Rena remains: Photo credit MNZ

New Zealand Government Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced a $2 million package to help Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) improve New Zealand’s wider maritime response capability following an independent review of its response to the grounding of the container ship 'Rena' off the coast of Tauranga in October 2011. Conducted by former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Murdoch, the review identified several areas for improvement. Mr Brownlee says the Rena response was about more than oil…

01 Oct 2013

Port of Cork Winter Seabed Plough Program

A project that has allowed the Port of Cork to precisely monitor and record the winter program of seabed ploughing in real time for the first ever time is being delivered by Succorfish in partnership with Irish marine communication specialists SEA-Tech. The exercise, which is being carried out aboard a utility vessel working to lift sediment from the port seabed into the water column and back out to sea, sees live, up-to-the-minute and highly valuable location data transferred back to officials instantly in real time.

24 Jul 2013

GPC Awarded Navy Spill Response Program Contract

GPC, Joint Venture, Irvine, Calif., is being awarded a maximum value $250,000,000 Department of Defense contract for services to manage, maintain and operate the emergency ship salvage material system (ESSM) and support the Navy's oil and hazardous substances spill response program. The contractor will be responsible for the full-time manning and management of ESSM facilities, including inventory and periodic maintenance of equipment stored at ESSM complexes, maintenance of all ESSM system equipment for immediate deployment and operation, deploying full operations response teams with pollution control equipment, and providing ESSM operator/technician(s) when required to support the deployment of ESSM salvage and oil pollution response equipment. Work will be performed in Williamsburg, Va.

17 May 2013

Emergency Personnel Participate in Oil Spill Response Program

Nearly 250 first responders participated in a National Preparedness Response Exercise Program in Los Angeles including U.S. Coast Guard, Chevron, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and Response, NOAA, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Los Angeles County Fire Department, El Segundo Fire Department, Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Marine Spill Response Corporation, National Response Corporation, The Response Group, CardnoEntrix, Clean Harbors, Environmental Science Services and Gallagher Marine. Several other local first responders attended the exercise as observers, May 14, 2013. The National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) is designed to test oil spill response plans of certain vessels and facilities.

27 Jul 2010

China’s Oil Pollution Laws Worth Watching

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.

21 Aug 2009

USARC Calls for Arctic Oil Spill Research

The U.S. Arctic Research Commission believes that the U.S. needs a robust research program to address spill response in broken ice, as shipping moves into the Arctic Ocean and offshore oil drilling - in several Arctic nations - moves forward. Mead Treadwell, chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, prepared testimony for the August 20 field hearing in Anchorage of the U.S. Senate's Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Treadwell told the committee that, contrary to laws passed by Congress after the Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster in 1989, a significant national oil spill research program does not exist, nor is one planned to fit the special needs of the Arctic. It was anticipated that the U.S.

08 May 2009

Hazmat Experts to Meet in France

Leading experts in dealing with maritime incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances, such as chemicals, will gather to exchange information and ideas at IMO's Fourth R&D Forum on Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) in the Marine Environment, which is to be held from 12 to 14 May 2009, in conjunction with Interspill 2009, in Marseille, France. The growth in marine transportation of chemicals, together with State and industry obligations arising from the entry into force, in 2007, of the Protocol on Preparedness, Response and Co-operation to Pollution Incidents by Hazardous and Noxious Substances, 2000 (OPRC-HNS Protocol), have focused professional and public attention on the potential dangers of HNS at sea.

10 Nov 2008

Hong Kong Tests Oil Spill Response

On Nov. 4, The Marine Department co-ordinated an annual joint exercise in the waters off Tsing Lung Garden, Tuen Mun, to test the response and efficiency of government departments and oil companies in handling oil spills. A Marine Department spokesman said the anti-oil pollution exercise, code-named "Oilex 2008", enabled personnel of related organizations to have key functions in dealing with oil spills and individual and team knowledge, skills and capabilities examined. As well as the Marine Department, five government departments, the Civil Aid Service, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Government Flying Service, Police Force…

29 Sep 2008

NAVSEA Continues Hurricane Ike Relief Efforts

Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), a directorate of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington D.C. cleared the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) near Galveston, Texas, for marine vessel traffic Sept. 25. The salvage removal operation directly supports Hurricane Ike relief efforts. "We originally identified five salvage targets, two of which were confirmed to be commercial-size fishing vessels," said Michael Herb, director of salvage operations. "However the work has grown and a total of three deck barges full of debris have been removed." SUPSALV and its east coast salvage contractor, Donjon Marine, commenced salvage removal operations Sept. 17. NAVSEA's SUPSALV received the request from the Galveston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) Sept.

22 Sep 2008

NAVSEA Responds, Provides Hurricane Ike Relief

Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), a directorate of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Washington, managed the deployment of salvage equipment Sept. 16 in direct support of Hurricane Ike relief efforts in Galveston, Texas. NAVSEA's SUPSALV received the request from the Galveston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) Sept. 15 for U.S. Navy assistance in removing a number of small vessels sunk in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW) along the Bolivar Peninsula northeast of Galveston. "We've identified five salvage targets, two of which have been confirmed to be commercial size fishing vessels," said Michael Herb, director of salvage operations. SUPSALV and its contractor commenced salvage removal operations Sept. 17.

03 Sep 2008

NAVSEA Salvage Engineers Recover Plane Materials

Naval Sea System Command's (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) conducted the recovery of the engines and other components of an EA-6B "Prowler" Aug. 17-20. The plane crashed near Feb. 12. The recovery utilized the Navy's remotely operated vehicle (ROV) "Deep Drone" operating from the Military Sealift Command's USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52). The EA-6B crashed into the in 6,500 feet of water while conducting night landing qualifications. The recovery operation was performed in order to assist the crash investigation in determining the cause of the accident and the possible implication it may have on the rest of the EA-6B inventory. Deep Drone is the Navy's workhorse ROV designed to meet the Navy's mid-water salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 8,000 feet of seawater.

29 Aug 2008

NAVSEA's Salvage Engineers Recover Plane Materials

EA-6B "Prowler," Aug. 17-20 near Guam. 52). The EA-6B crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 6,500 feet of water Feb. while conducting night landing qualifications. assorted other components were recovered. of the EA-6B inventory. seawater. Phoenix International. towing, diving safety, and equipment maintenance and procurement.

29 Aug 2008

NAVSEA's Salvage Engineers Recover Plane Materials

EA-6B "Prowler," Aug. 17-20 near Guam. Drone" operating from the Military Sealift Command's USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52). The EA-6B crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 6,500 feet of water Feb. 12 while conducting night landing qualifications. assorted other components were recovered. The operation was performed in order to assist the crash investigation in determining the accident cause and possible implication on the rest of the EA-6B inventory. Deep Drone is the Navy's workhorse ROV designed to meet the Navy's mid-water salvage requirements down to a maximum depth of 8,000 feet of seawater. SUPSALV and maintained and operated by underwater engineering company Phoenix International. towing, diving safety, and equipment maintenance and procurement.

05 Aug 2004

65th Anniversary: The Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry

This year, The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, celebrates its 60th anniversary. AWO members, representing the inland, coastal and harbor sectors of the industry, recently marked this milestone at its Spring Convention, recalling the reasons for the association's founding and recognizing the remarkable evolution of the industry over the past six decades. AWO was formed in 1944 in the midst of emerging regulations, priorities and demands for transportation during World War II. Today, AWO members account for 80 percent of the towing industry's active fleet.

06 Mar 2007

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT Helps Demonstrate Future of Maritime Navigation

Specially adapted Kongsberg Norcontrol IT C-Scope software formed the platform for an in depth MarNIS (Maritime Navigation and Information Services) demonstration, held at the MCA's Highcliffe Training Center on Feb 13 and 14, 2007. The event, attended by MarNIS members and stakeholders from all over Europe demonstrated progress in the further development of electronic navigation (E-Navigation) within the EU 6th Frame Work Program. Kongsberg Norcontrol IT is a key member of MarNIS, which consists of 47 partners and 12 sub partners. The company's C-Scope forms the front end of a new concept for the future of seaborne navigation by MarNIS called Maritime Operation Services (MOS)…