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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Hans Van Rooij News

08 Mar 2004

Wreck Removed, Mess Remains

The wreck of the TASMAN SPIRIT has been successfully removed. The aft section was re-floated on Saturday, March 6, and was yesterday delivered to buyers at Gadani Beach in the province of Baluchistan, Pakistan. This follows the earlier removal of the forward section of the tanker that had run aground in the channel into Karachi Port on July 27 last year. The wreck removal contractors SMIT Salvage B.V., were operating under a wreck removal contract agreed with The American Club, the vessel’s liability insurers. Speaking in London, Brian Davies, Claims Director of The American Club said, ‘We are very pleased with the outcome. SMIT have completed a difficult operation under difficult circumstances well within the required time frame.

29 May 2007

Salvors Welcome New Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention

The world’s marine salvors have welcomed the International Maritime Organization’s adoption of a new Wreck Removal Convention (WRC). International Salvage Union (ISU) President Hans van Rooij says: “The new Convention clarifies many issues of importance to Coastal States and salvors. Times have changed and the main motivation for wreck removal today is often concern for the environment, rather than any threat to safety of navigation. The new convention defines a wreck-related hazard as a “danger or impediment to navigation” or a condition or threat that “may reasonably be expected to result in major harmful consequences to the marine environment…

16 Sep 2002

Timmerman Elected ISU President

Joop Timmermans was elected President of the International Salvage Union at the ISU’s September Annual Meeting in Quebec. Joop Timmermans, managing director of the Dutch towage, salvage and heavy lift company I.T.C. (International Transport Contractors), succeeds Jean Labescat, of the French Les Abeilles. Joop is a master mariner by profession. He commenced his seagoing career in 1962 with Nederland Line (Royal Dutch Mail) of Amsterdam, which later merged with NedLloyd Lines. He obtained his Master's License in the early 1970s. In 1975, Joop joined I.T.C. as a Marine Superintendent. He became Manager of the Commercial Department four years later and Vice-President in 1983. In 1991, he moved to Fairmount Marine of Rotterdam as Managing Director, a position he held for six years.

17 Aug 2005

Salvors Warn that STS Restrictions Could Lead to Another Prestige

Salvage operations involving the ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of cargo and bunkers from tankers and other vessels should be exempt from new controls proposed by Spain and Mexico and now under consideration by the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). The International Salvage Union (ISU) believes that the proposed new rules could hamper salvors’ efforts to prevent a future Prestige-type spill catastrophe. At its recent meeting, ending July 22, the MEPC agreed to consider MARPOL amendments concerning oil transfer operations at sea. This process has been given “high priority” status and has a target date for completion by 2007.