Kongsberg Propulsion for Norwind Offshore's New Vessels
Norwind Offshore, a new offshore wind-focused ship-owning company recently established in Norway by Farstad, Volstad, and Kleven, will install Kongsberg equipment to its two new Commissioning Service Operations Vessels (CSOVs), to be built by VARD."Kongsberg Maritime’s scope of delivery encompasses a combination of systems which will enable the operator to maximize operational windows whilst minimizing overall energy consumption," Kongsberg said."Key to this is the propulsion technology…
Changing Spill Risk in a Changing Arctic Landscape
Industry analyst and environmental consultant Dagmar Schmidt Etkin, PhD, takes a hard look at a rapidly shifting operational landscape in the Arctic. Always an honest broker of information, Etkin tells it like it is. Oil spill risk is present anywhere that oil is present in reservoirs, or is transported, consumed, stored, and handled in some way. The Arctic is no exception. Not only are there oil reserves in the Arctic, some of which are being or will soon be considered for exploration and production, there is also oil being transported as cargo or as fuel to Arctic communities.
SE Asia Oil Spill Response Initiative Launched
IMO & IPIECA, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues, jointly launch a new Global Initiative (GI). The GI programme, aimed at improving the oil spill preparedness and response capabilities in south east Asia was launched at a recent regional workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia. IMO and IPIECA have, for a number of years, been working with their international and regional partners to establish this new regional programme, which demonstrates a major commitment from both Government and industry to improve oil spill preparedness and response in the region.
Senate Hearing on Reducing Oil Spill Risk
On August 1, the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Coast Guard of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation conducted a field hearing in Seattle on Reducing the Risk of Future Oil Spills. Among the various witnesses, Captain Myles Boothe, USCG testified that the majority of oil entering waters of the United States comes from land-based sources and the majority of vessel-based oil spills in the Pacific Northwest comes from recreational and fishing vessels. Mr. Dale Jensen, Washington State Department of Ecology, testified that state and regional agencies should be allowed to establish higher vessel pollution prevention standards than those utilized by the federal government. Dr.
MEPC Progresses on Key Issues
The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) made progress on a packed agenda when it met for its 56th session from 9 to 13 July in London. Among a series of important decisions, it agreed to commission a study into the impact of proposed measures to reduce air pollution from ships. The Committee also further developed the proposed Ship Recycling Convention, discussed issues relating to the implementation of the 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention and adopted a number of amendments to the MARPOL Convention. Mr. Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) addressed the opening session of the Committee, at the invitation of IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos.
