Scaa News

The near-shore and inland workboat fleet is at the leading edge for autonomous vessel developmentWhile the advent of autonomous workboats are not exactly mainstream, you better believe that in the not-too-distant future they will be a reality on waterways in and around the U.S. Today there remain more questions than answers, particularly on the legal, logistics and insurance side of the coin. But the technology is evolving at record pace, providing many in the industry with mixed emotions. Excitement. Controversy. Curiosity. Skepticism. These are just a few of thoughts, and emotions that arise to any mention of the topic of autonomous vessels.It’s happening now.

Emerging spill response trends fit into two big categories: technology and a combination of economic and social forces. Both will shape what comes next.Florida’s stunning Tampa Bay stands out as exactly the kind of place where you have to think about hazardous materials emergencies. It was 25 years ago, on August 10, 1993, that a freighter collided with two barges near the entrance of Tampa Bay, causing a fire and spilling over 32,000 gallons of jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline and about 330,000 gallons of heavy fuel, devastating beaches, wildlife and habitat.

Devon Grennan, president and CEO of Global Diving & Salvage, and president of the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) asks the tough questions. What are the biggest challenges the spill response industry faces in light of the current political and economic climate in the United States? And what is SCAA doing to meet these challenges? I see the primary challenge that the spill response industry – as well as SCAA’s membership – currently has is to manage expectations and competing interests at a unique point in our nation’s energy renaissance.

Devon Grennan, CEO and President of Global Diving & Salvage, Inc., has been appointed President of the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA). SCAA is a professional association representing spill control contractors, manufacturers, distributors, government agencies, and various qualified individuals within the industry. Grennan has served on the board of SCAA since 2012. “SCAA is a unique association that has represented our diverse membership for 44 years,” said Grennan. Grennan has been elected to serve a two-year term.

The sVGP and recent ballast water treatment system approvals create another headache for small vessel owners. Steve Candito provides a primer. The long delayed Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) legislation is scheduled to come into force on December 18, 2017. Despite some confusion and inconsistencies on this issue generally, there is currently no serious effort to delay the sVGP requirement. Thus, vessel owners should be preparing now for compliance. Although the deadline is still months away…

Steven Candito is the Founder, President and CEO of Foresea, which provides advisory services including strategic planning, regulatory compliance and crisis management to the maritime and environmental communities. Previously, Candito was President and CEO of NRC. He has extensive experience with OPA 90 compliance issues with particular focus on vessel owner and insurance matters. Before that, Candito was an attorney with Haight Gardner Poor & Havens, specializing in maritime and environmental law. Candito has also served as a marine engineer aboard Exxon USA’s domestic tanker fleet. He is a graduate of Hofstra University School of Law and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Many people today are frustrated with the current U.S. political process as we endure various government stalemates on budgets, Supreme Court appointments, and, of course, the Presidential election. The general theme is voters are angry with the political establishment and, as a result, outsiders like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are doing well in the polls. Much of this anger is directed at the influence big money donors and lobbyists have over the process. Thus, Trump who has committed to self-financing his campaign and Sanders…

On Friday, April 10, the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force, Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration (SMSA) carried out a comprehensive search and rescue (SAR)exercise in the Seychelles. The Maritime Police Patrol Unit (MPPU) as well as other authorities participated as observers. The exercise was conducted together with EUCAP Nestor and the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta represented by the Dutch Flagship Johan de Witt, on board the Swedish Force Commander Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren.

Leaders of the maritime industry will convene in Washington, D.C. on June 19 with representatives of the relevant government agencies to have a dialogue addressing concerns with, and ways to improve, the recently published draft National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (NPREP) guidelines. Preparing for the contingency of a maritime casualty has long been a priority of the industry, which has often been at the leading edge of improved standards and training. Therefore…

As the Voice of Spill Response Professionals, the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) is supporting and assisting with the planning and coordination of IOSC 2014 on May 5-8 in Savannah, Ga. SCAA encouraged all members to attend IOSC, submit technical papers, volunteer as technical paper review team members and demonstrate equipment technologies. The centerpiece of SCAA's support during this year's Conference is working with the U.S. Coast Guard IOSC Program Planning Committee and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to develop and facilitate the On-Water and Aerial Technology Demonstration schedule for 5 p.m. on May 7.

Scott Metzger has been with Clean Harbors Environmental Services for more than 22 years. He is the Senior Vice President, Emergency Services and holds an oversight role for the Clean Harbors National Strike Team that manages environmental incidents. When not deployed on an event, Scott is focused on ER preparedness, readiness, training and the strategic development of response teams. And now, as the President of the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA), he’s got even more on his plate. Couple this with the advent of the U.S.

Andrew Altendorf is the CEO and majority owner of Acme Environmental Inc. Acme’s history spans almost 50 years and the firm is recognized as a pioneer in the manufacture of oil spill containment booms and other oil spill recovery items. A U.S. Coast Guard classified OSRO, Acme and Altendorf support numerous customers in Oklahoma and the Midwest with their emergency response. He has been the President of the Spill Control Association of America since November of 2010. Prior to taking the reins as President, he served on the SCAA Board of Directors for 5 years.

The Spill Control Association of America (SCAA), a professional association representing oil spill removal organizations (OSRO), spill managers, qualified individuals, consultants, equipment and material manufacturers, distributors, insurers, and educational and governmental organizations, announced the appointment of three new SCAA Directors and the renewal of a fourth Director for another two-year term. The appointments were announced at the Annual Meeting on March 8 in Alexandria, Va.

Spill control Association of america Relocates to Metro Washington, DC and names new Executive Director. Spill Control Association of America (SCAA), a professional association representing oil spill removal organizations (OSRO), spill managers/qualified individuals, consultants, equipment and material manufacturers, distributors, insurers, and educational and governmental organizations, announced today that it has relocated its headquarters to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia from Bel Air, Maryland.

The American Salvage Association (ASA), supported by the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI), International Salvage Union (ISU), Marine Technology Society (MTS), Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA), North American Marine Environmental Protection Association (NAMEPA), Spill Control Association of America (SCAA), Maritime Technology Alliance (MTA), and the World Ocean Council (WOC), will sponsor a conference, “Wrecks of the  World: Hidden Risks of the Deep (WOW)” on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) in the Washington, DC area (Linthicum Heights, MD) USA.

The American Salvage Association (ASA) and the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) have established an Affiliate Membership relationship. The Spill Control Association of America was organized in 1973 to actively promote the interests of all groups within the spill response community. The organization represents spill response contractors, manufacturers, distributors, consultants, instructors, government & training institutions and corporations working in the industry. The American Salvage Association is the trade association promoting professionalism and improving marine casualty response in North American coastal and inland waters. ASA has partnership agreements with the U.S.