Newsreel 01-2012

Reel
NewsReel
1/2012
In this issue
Claiming the Arctic | PAGE 6
Black Tide in Bay of Plenty | PAGE 16
Operation Kyrkesund | PAGE 26
EMSAs Oil Pollution Response Vessel
Network | PAGE 31
Liaison with France | PAGE 32
Your oil spill
solution expert
Lamor (Larsen Marine Oil Recovery) Corporation offers solutions for optimal oil
spill response and recovery. With offices, staff and equipment strategically located around the world, Lamor is able to deploy on scene rapidly and effectively to best serve the environmental needs of governments, corporations and the
general public, minimizing environmental footprints and salvaging eco-systems.
The company develops, manufactures, and supplies best available technology
oil spill recovery equipment and services. Included in its portfolio of solutions,
Lamor offers contingency planning, risk assessments, equipment maintenance
and service coupled with training.
Lamor’s headquarters is located in Finland, with 100% owned subsidiaries in
the US, China and UK and with joint-ventures in Russia, UAE and Oman. Moreover, Lamor has agent and distributor networks in over 90 countries. During the
past 20 years, the company has sold equipment to more than 120 countries.
Lamor is proud to introduce an Arabic language version of its web site.
Lamor is proud to introduce a Chinese language version of its web site.
Lamor is proud to introduce a Finnish language version of its web site.
Olemme ylpeitä voidessamme esitellä Lamorin uudet suomenkieliset kotisivut.
Lamor is proud to introduce a Spanish language version of its web site.
Lamor se enorgullece en presentar una versión en español de su sitio web.
contents
NewsReel 1/2012
4 Fred’s Review
26 Swedish Coast Guard:
6 Claiming the Arctic
Increased interest in the Arctic Ocean’s vast
treasures of natural resources yet to be exploited and continued claims of sovereignty.
10
Fighting Oil Spills in Arctic Conditions
A surge in shipping traffic activities due to
the retreat of sea ice requires reliable and
efficient OSR equipment in the region.
16 Black Tide in Bay of Plenty
M/V Rena struck the Astrolabe Reef off
North Island in New Zealand and
considered to be the worst environmental
disaster in NZ.
24 Christmas Island – torn from moorings
M/V Tycoon broke from its moorings and
smashed against the cliffs resulting in a fuel oil leak.
25 AMSA issues Oil Spill Risk Assessment
The 10 yearly review titled “Assessment of
the Risk of Pollution from Marine and Oil
Spills in Australian Ports and Waters”.
Page 10
Operation Kyrkesund
Worst oil spill in 20 years on south
west coast of Sweden triggers Operation
Kyrkesund that includes Lamor OSR
equipment.
28 The Christmas Pine Oil Slick
Pine oil leaked from chemical refinery
in Sweden resulting in a 2 km long oil
slick resulting deployment of YAG Louhi.
29 Lamor Delivers New Vessel to
Gazprom Neft Shelf in Russia
Lamor delivers a 19m multi-purpose
vessel for OSR operations to
Prirazlomnoye offshore oil field in the
Barents Sea.
30 M/T Alexandria Joins EMSA Fleet
European Maritime Safety Agency
successfully concludes acceptance tests
of M/T Alexandria off the coast of Cyprus.
31 EMSAs Oil Pollution
Response Vessel Network
EMSA continues building its network
of vessels, equipment and other resources
to help EU members deal with pollution
from ships.
Page 26
32 Liaison with France
CEPPOL and Bourbon Offshore visit
Lamor and share knowledge with a common goal for effective OSR operations.
36 Commissioning in New Caledonia
French naval base and Koniambo
Nickel in New Caledonia orders
Lamor’s containerized OSR equipment.
37 Qatar’s Organized Responders to OSR
Qatar Petroleum Oil Spill and Emergency
Response Department is responsible for
the country’s OSR operations.
38 Responsible Preparedness is
Necessary
Training of OSR personnel is an integral
part of preparedness and response, and
environmental responsibility incorporates
being professionally prepared.
42 Black Sea OSR Exercises
The Operational Black Sea Delta Regional
Exercise was hosted in Batumi, Georgia for
training in OSR activities on the Black Sea.
43 News
Page 32
Lamor NewsReel Q1/2012 Publisher Lamor Corporation, Urakoitsijantie 12 , FI-06450 Porvoo, Finland, Tel:+358 20 7650 100, info@lamor.com,
www.lamor.com © Lamor Corporation, All Rights Reserved Editor Thomas Barbieri (www.input.fi), Ann-Charlotte Fogde Layout Heku Printed in
Finland by Kyriiri Oy, Cover paper MaxiSilk 200g/m2, inside pages MaxiSilk 130g/m2. Cover M/V Rena
LAMOR NEWSREEL
3
Fred’s Review
A Comprehensive Risk Analysis
– let’s SWOT it out!
W
e all acknowledge, recognize and proactively participate in oil spill response
(OSR) operations no matter where they
occur. This we have witnessed in Norway
and Sweden with their respective coast
guards and response to incidents. New Zealand’s
fight against the stricken M/V Rena and support
from other nations with equipment and personnel.
That said, we need to ensure our communications
are set up clearly and effectively to activate responders who can lessen oil spill damage, and save
eco-systems.
Claiming the Arctic region is not just about proving who has legal sovereignty to the large quantities
of oil and gas on the seabed, it is about setting up
activities in a responsible manner. Transparency and
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
again communications need to be crystal clear, but
so does having the right equipment and trained personnel to operate the equipment. I have said this before it is not ‘if’ an oil spill occurs, it is ‘when’ it occurs,
the contingency plans need to be activated and nations in the area should be ready to assist promptly.
At Lamor we welcomed distinguished guests
from CEPPOL France, to familiarize them with our
latest oil recovery technology. The guests were also
were given a demonstration onboard YAG Louhi,
Finland’s newest OSR vessel, which was recently
deployed to the Gulf of Bothnia. On the Black Sea,
Georgia hosted an important meeting to discuss OSR
in the region due to heavy sea traffic. Qatar identified the responsible authority for incidents in their
region and in Goa, India the “Oil Spill India 2011” was
hosted. All these are solid steps forward.
Taking a proactive role in preparedness and identifying needs is moving forward responsibly. That said,
conducting a comprehensive risk analysis coupled with
an environmental risk analysis using a business SWOT
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) is
in place for all to implement. Then take stock of what
is needed and invest in equipment and ensure the responders have the latest training in OSR use. Collectively, let’s be ready, do the right thing and have the
best available technology and equipment in any climatic condition or region to tackle oil spills around the
world.
You can read more in this latest edition of Lamor’s
NewsReel. I hope you find it informative and interesting.
Fred Larsen
Fred Larsen, CEO
LAMOR NEWSREEL
5
CLAIMING
THE ARCTIC
-mare liberum
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI
A frozen ’treasure’ is
soon to be discovered
since its fortification
is melting rapidly.
T
he Arctic Ocean is becoming more
accessible and the momentum is rising as several countries are vying for
a claim to the Arctic seabed and its
vast purported natural resources. The United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas
(UNCLOS) is the umbrella organization that
defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world’s oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment coupled with the management of
marine natural resources.
Countries in the region are increasing
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
their lobbying efforts and activities providing
their perceptions of evidence and justifications to UNCLOS to determine who will
eventually gain the rights to legally acquire
the riches from the seabed of the Arctic.
The UNCLOS replaced the 17th Century
rule known as ‘Freedom of the Seas’ that was
developed by a Dutchman utilizing what was
coined as the ‘canon shot’ to determine the
national boundaries of a country with coastal
territorial waters. The waters beyond the
‘canon shot’ were considered mare liberum
(free seas).
Countries that border the Arctic region
are Russia, Norway, Denmark (Greenland),
Canada and the US and they are disputing
who owns what of the continental shelf. Tensions and verbal diplomatic spats have escalated between the nations. Under international law, no country currently owns the
North Pole or the region of the Arctic Ocean
surrounding it and those countries border-
ing it are limited to an exclusive economic
zone (EEZ). UNCLOS allows foreign vessels
including naval vessels the right of innocent
passage in the EEZ.
The Arctic nations have a vested interest
in pursuing their rush to claim these oil and
gas resources because under the Arctic
Ocean there is estimated to be 25% of the
world’s current oil and natural gas resources.
The question that remains is who has the
rights to drill where and who will profit from
these natural resources. To settle this dispute, UNCLOS has set out, with the expertise of geologists and other specialist scientists, to determine if the continental shelf is
part of the seabed that can be proven that it
belongs to any single country.
Trying to bridge the ridges
cientifically
In mid-2009 Russia’s President Medvedev
stated in a television interview: “Our main
goal is to transform the Arctic into a resource
base for Russia in the 21st Century”. In 2007,
Russia made the first move by planting a flag
on the ocean floor beneath the North Pole.
This caused additional tensions. That said,
Neil Armstrong placed an American flag on
the moon in 1969. And Norwegian Roald
Amundsen placed a flag on the geographic
South Pole in 1911.
However, scientists from Russia have
also been busy trying to prove that the Lomonosov Ridge, a 1,240-mile underwater
mountain range that cuts across the Arctic
Ocean, is geologically part of the Russian mainland coupled with Mendeleev Ridge that are
extensions of the Eurasian continent.
Denmark (via Greenland), also has its interests in claiming the ridge, stating it is an
extension of Greenland, which is a selfgoverning province of Denmark. This is followed by Canadian scientists submitting a
paper to the respected Journal of Geophyical
Research claiming proof that the Lomonosov
Ridge is part of the North American land
mass. Former Canadian Natural Resources
Minister Gary Lunn stated: “We will be reaffirming our commitment about defending
and protecting our sovereignty in the Arctic”.
The Arctic coastal nations are submitting
their claims to the UN Commission on the
Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) for
evaluation whilst the dispute of ownership
and sovereignty continues. Currently all nations are trying to solve this issue through
the umbrella organization UNCLOS, however, in accordance with article 287, any nation
can opt to settle the dispute via the International Tribunal for the Law of the Seas, to
date this has not happened.
A new geopolitical battleground
In early 2011, at an Arctic conference held
in Tromsö, Norway, U.S. Rear Admiral Dave
Titley stated: “We believe that sometime
LAMOR NEWSREEL
7
An Arctic oil spill could set off
irreversible chain-reactions of
contamination if training and
equipment is not in place.
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
Ocean that provides them quicker access to
economic dynamos such as China and India.
That said, the Arctic Ocean causes more
diplomatic rows pursuant to the usage of waterways. Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia
and the US all regard parts of the Arctic seas
as “national waters” i.e. territorial waters out
to 12 nautical miles. There also are disputes
regarding what passages constitute “international seaways” and rights to passage along
them e.g. the Northern Passage.
Beyond profits and sovereignty
Temperatures in
the Arctic are
rising faster than
anywhere else in
the world.
between 2035 and 2040, there is a pretty good
chance that the Arctic Ocean will be essentially ice-free for about a month.” These longer periods of ice-free waters will likely mean
more vessels trying to navigate the narrow
straits and channels of the Northwest Passage, a series of waterways along the US coast
that wind through Canada’s Arctic archipelago of 36,000 islands, including commercial
shippers looking for shortened trade routes.
By linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
greatly reduces transit times for ships that
have relied on southern route through the
Panama Canal. Temperatures in the Arctic
are rising faster than anywhere else in the
world, making the Arctic region easier to
navigate. For shipping companies hoping to
shorten trade routes through the Arctic
As the need for energy continues to rise and
while onshore oil reserves dwindle, the
search for oil offshore continues to surge.
This increases the risks for accidents. The
harsh climatic conditions in the Arctic Ocean
make the exploration and extrapolation very
dangerous. The waters of the Arctic are particularly extreme for drilling because of the
punishing cold, long periods of darkness,
dense fogs, and hurricane-strength winds.
Lamor’s knowledge, expertise and commitment in providing the most advanced
oil spill clean-up solutions with equipment,
training, and a dedicated response team
known as the Lamor Response Team (LRT),
is unparalleled with a global reach in any
climatic conditions and regions. “We have
expertise and equipment for tackling hazardous accidents such as oil spills in all terrains
and climates,” says Fred Larsen, CEO of
Lamor Corporation.
The Arctic Ocean’s ecosystem is considered to be one of the most vulnerable to oil
spills in comparison to other regions. “The
cold weather, the thick ice cover together
with slow turnover of eco-systems mean that
toxic oil spills could last longer and expose
multiple generations of organisms to contamination,” he says. “An Arctic oil spill
could set off irreversible chain-reactions of
contamination. The lack of sunlight also impacts the breakdown of spilled oil and other
chemicals. Therefore, it is essential for both
corporations and governments to be responsible and take the necessary steps by investing in training and equipment to reduce a
catastrophic environmental disaster, and this
is where we can help,” Larsen says confidently and categorically. ■
LAMOR NEWSREEL
9
FIGHTING OIL SPILLS I
– with reliability and efficiency
10
LAMOR NEWSREEL
IN ARCTIC CONDITIONS
Text: VINCE MITCHELL Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION
The unprecedented seasonal retreat of sea ice in the arctic has been observed and is presently
occurring. This inevitably will create a surge in shipping traffic activities such as tankers, bulkers,
container ships, tugs with barges and fishing vessels, in addition to the passenger cruise ships,
research and icebreaking vessels.
Finnish multipurpose
OSR vessel Halli.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
11
Lamor OSR
equipment in
icy conditions.
T
his increased activity will also include oil and gas exploration, development and production activities creating multiple challenges to
the environment and those nations boarding
the arctic region. Specifically contamination
risks include spills of both persistent oils i.e.
many crude oils and heavy refined products,
to non-persistent oils i.e. diesel and petrol.
Behavior of Spilled Oil
The foremost physical properties effecting
oil when spilled is its density (specific gravity, the oils ability to float) and its viscosity
(the oils ability to flow and the thickness).
The behavior of any oil spilled in arctic
conditions will differ compared to oil spilled
in more temperate climates. The major differences that will impact the oil spill responders include:
Evaporation: This occurs when the lighter, more volatile components are lost mainly
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
due to the speed of the wind, temperature
and the thickness of the oil slick. Evaporation
rates of spilled oil in the arctic are less than
in warmer sea and air temperatures.
Spreading: Discounting the presence of
ice, the spreading of oil on the surface of the
sea is primarily a function of the water temperature and to a lesser degree the air temperature. Oil spilled in the arctic will be
more viscous and spread less than oil spill in
warmer waters.
These will cause differences in the behavior of the spilled oil that may affect the
equipment selection and tactics available for
use by the responders. It can be generally
stated that the presence of ice reduces the
overall efficiency of the response spilled oil
recovery operations.
There may be other considerations that
may in fact be favorable for spill responders
when operating in the arctic regions. These
may include: an increase in the thickness of
the spilled oil, reduced weathering and formation of emulsion (water in oil mixture),
reduction of the waves due to the dampening
effects of ice and the blockage of shoreline
impact due to the presence of land fast ice.
Safety of Responders and
Equipment
In any response to spilled oil the safety of the
spill responders is paramount. In addition to
the marine safety hazards all responders
may be exposed to on oil spills in any location which may include: noise, fire and explosions, ergonomic, crane operations,
chemical and respiratory exposures, wildlife
and aircraft operations, additional concerns
in the arctic regions may also include cold
stress (including hypothermia), small boat
operations which may involve ice and icing
conditions, increased risks of slips, trips and
falls and even sunburn. Ample consideration
should be given, ahead of an event if possi-
The behavior of any
oil spilled in arctic
conditions will differ
compared to oil
spilled in more
temperate climates.
ble, to mitigate or design out, wherever possible, the effects of any potential hazards.
Mechanical Containment and
Recovery Equipment
This is the most “traditional” of the oil combating techniques and involves what commonly comes to mind when one thinks
about response to oil spills; the use of oil
containment booms and oil recovery skimmers. The vessel platforms selected for this
offshore mechanical containment and recovery should be suitable for the harsh environmental conditions, provide adequate facilities for sustained operations and ideally at a
minimum be ice classed and equipped with
controllable pitch propellers for sustained
slow speed operations.
Equipment selected for use in the arctic
should be robust, simple and ideally fitted
cold temperature adaptations, to prevent
equipment freezing (engine oil heaters, hy-
draulic oil heaters, hot water or steam heating) and the ability to avoid or process any ice
that may be encountered.
Oil Containment Booms
Oil booms can be used to collect oil, contain
oil, protect areas at risk and assist in shoreline cleanup if needed. In offshore open water use in the arctic regions (~1-2/10’s ice), oil
booms can effectively be used to collect and
contain spilled oil increasing the oil thickness for collection by skimmers. All oil
booms have common components that give
the boom its freeboard, draft and buoyancy
to weight ratio. The most common boom
construction materials include Polyvinyl
Chloride (“PVC”), Polyurethane/Polyvinyl
(“PU”) and rubber coated (“Neoprene”).
All oil booms have some type of floatation material which can range from air to
solid foam and some type of tension member/ballast weight which commonly ranges
LAMOR NEWSREEL
13
Lamor has advanced
arctic oil spill clean-up
equipment, knowledge
and expertise and
continues to
strategically invest
in its R&D activities.
from chain to lead weights. It should be noted that all oil booms will eventually fail in
increasing ice conditions due to the tremendous forces produced by the ice on the boom
system. Generally, for offshore use in arctic
regions a heavy duty neoprene fabric boom
with air floatation and a chain tension member/ballast weight provides a highest
strength, best performing, robust boom
most suitable for offshore service.
As the concentration of ice increases, the
spreading of the oil will be impeded and reduced as the ice acts as a natural booming
material, concentrating the oil into the narrow channels or into pockets in the ice.
Oil Recovery
Once oil is collected in a sufficient thickness,
it can be removed, or skimmed, from the
surface of the water. Skimmers are either
stationary or advancing and the most common type of oil skimmers is Oleophilic (oil
attracting), Weir, Vacuum, Hydrodynamic
and Mechanical. While there are many different individual and varieties of oil skimmers, the two most prevalent skimmers used
offshore are the oleophilic and weir skimmers.
The weir type of skimmer presents a
“lip” or weir at the oil/water interface. The
oil then flows, via the influence of gravity,
into the collection hopper for pumping into
temporary storage. While weir skimmers
can have a very high theoretical recovery rate
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
and are relatively inexpensive, they tend to
recover a large quantity of water along with
the oil, very viscous oils may have trouble
flowing over the weir lip and they are vulnerable to clogging from debris or ice making
their efficient use only during periods of very
low ice concentrations.
The oleophilic skimmer presents an oil
attracting material to the oil/water interface.
The oil adheres to the surfaces and is subsequently scraped from the collecting surface,
into the collection hopper for pumping into
temporary storage. The skimmers attracting
surfaces can include synthetic, metal and
fiber materials in rope, belt, brush or disc
configurations. The recovery capacity is a direct function of the surface area of the recovery material and the ability to effectively
scrape it off.
Adaptations of the oleophilic brush skimmer principle that has been specifically
adapted for arctic use in broken ice conditions has been developed by Lamor. The
company has conducted extensive testing
and has a variety of real life experiences in
the neighboring Gulf of Finland and Baltic
Sea. Lamor is a leader in the development of
reliable and effective equipment for use in
the arctic by providing efficient and practical
solutions based on their experience. Moreover, Lamor has operated in western Siberia,
the Arctic Ocean (Prirazlomnoye) and eastern Russia (Sakhalin).
In this proven design and technology, the
oil attracting brush material is rotated
through the oil/water interface with the
recovered oil then scraped off for recovery.
This brush conveyer can operate at advancing speeds up to 4 knots, recover all viscosities of oil with an extremely low (< 5%) water
content. This system can be enhanced with
the use of an outrigger jib arm(s), and sweeping booms along with additional deflection
booms. These systems can either be side
mounted or mounted within the recovery
vessel’s hull with many degrees of automation.
Lamor Oil and Ice Separator (LOIS)
In ice conditions, oil will be mixed in with or
coating the ice pieces. The LOIS operates on
the principle of the vessel moving through
the water (from 1 - 3 knots), the ice pieces are
pushed beneath the grids of the LOIS unit.
The ice pieces are forced up and down and
the surrounding water washes the oil from
the ice pieces. The natural buoyancy of the
oil floats into the LOIS and to the oleophilic
skimmer unit mounted on the LOIS or in the
recovery vessels’ hull.
Lamor Arctic Skimmer
This skimmer was specifically designed to
operate in the extreme cold and under broken ice conditions. It incorporates a static
deflection grid or larger pieces of ice and any
smaller pieces of ice that are recovered in the
recovery hopper are crushed by feed screws
which feed the recovered oil to the discharge
pump. A steam or hot water connection is
standard to assist in the pumping of viscous
products. This arctic skimmer can be utilized in free floating or vertically suspended
operations.
Lamor Oil Recovery Bucket
The Lamor Oil Recovery Bucket is designed
to be mounted to and deployed from an excavator or crane. This is an active skimming
system with complete control of the skimming unit. The bucket itself can be utilized
for the heaviest of oil products and solid materials, including the processing of ice pieces. This is best utilized for recovery of pockets of oil found in the ice.
Mechanical containment and
recovery tactics
Oil must be collected in the thickest layer
possible for the most efficient skimming to
occur. This generally involves longer lengths
of “deflection” booms into a collection pocket
where the skimmer is located. In the arctic
regions the use of these deflection booms is
only possible during “open water” conditions
with ice coverage ~1-2/10 or less. This is due
to the ice being deflected and concentrated
along with the oil.
As the amount of ice increases, shorter
lengths to no “deflection” boom can be used.
As the ice further increases, the ice itself acts
as a natural containment boom and “pocket”
recovery tactics in areas of oil trapped by the
ice become feasible. Lamor does not offer
non-mechanical or dispersants methods in
their product portfolio for combating spilled
oil offshore especially in the arctic region.
Lamor Side Collector
The bottom line
In evaluating the reliable and effective tools
for oil spill response operations in the arctic,
it becomes clear that except for the equipment developed by a few companies, most
notably Lamor, the majority of the response
equipment currently in use in the arctic regions is adapted from equipment used in
more temperate climates. That said, additional research, testing, field and full scale
trials have been initiated with knowledge
gained and advancements made. These types
of efforts will need to be funded and pursued
to provide the absolute best in prevention,
preparedness and response to potential
oil spill in the arctic regions of the world.
Lamor has advanced arctic oil spill clean-up
equipment, knowledge and expertise and
continues to strategically invest in its R&D
activities. ■
(bottom l-r)
Viscous oil recovery
with LORS built-in 8
brush conveyor
system.
Lamor Arctic skimmer.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: MARITIME NEW ZEALAND
Black Tide
in Bay
of Plenty
On January 7, severe weather broke M/V Rena in two
with the bow section firmly wedged on the reef. By
January 10, the stern section stayed perched on the
edge of the Astrolabe Reef with about 95% submerged, including the bridge, and a few days later
slid off the reef and submerged totally.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
17
A
erial observation flights confirmed
on January 12 a dark metallic sheen
of around 600m by 200m within a
larger lighter sheen stretching for
about ten kms from the wreck. Observers noted these patches of oil appeared to be breaking down naturally in the
swells and churning seas. The oil trajectory
modelling predicted it was likely to reach
beaches at Little Waihi and Pukehina that
said, these modelling predictions change
with the currents and weather conditions.
Three months earlier, on October 5, 2011
at 02:20, the M/V Rena struck the Astrolabe
Reef whilst sailing from the New Zealand’s
North Island port city of Napier to Tauranga.
Onboard the stricken vessel was 1,368 containers of which twenty contained hazardous
materials such as cryolite, a toxic chemical
used as a pesticide, insecticide etc. and is a
colorless material that disappears in water
due to the proximity of their refractive indices. The M/V Rena also was carrying 1,700
tons heavy fuel-oil and over 200 tons of marine diesel fuel. The initial accident revealed
that the vessel had sustained significant
damage with large cracks in the hull that
eventually split the vessel in two.
The weather in early October continued
to hamper rescue and oil spill clean-up operations and a large, approx. five km, oil slick
was visible. Six days later, on October 11, New
Zealand’s Minister for the Environment and
Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues, Hon. Dr. Nick Smith declared the M/V
Rena to be New Zealand’s worst ever maritime environment disaster. On January 8, the
vessel split in two, leaving a separation distance of approx. 30 meters between the fore
and aft of the vessel, the water surrounding
was murky due to powder milk being spilled
from a container.
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ), formerly
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
Maritime Safety Authority, is the lead agency
for the coordination of clean-up efforts and
salvage in the M/V Rena grounding and subsequent spill. Overall MNZ’s responsibilities
include maritime safety, security and marine
environment protection for the country.
MNZ Salvage Unit Manager David Billington stated while both sections of the M/V
Rena were still on the Astrolabe Reef, the
stern section had moved an estimated 30m
from the bow section in seas of over 7m overnight (January 7), after the stern pivoted
about 13 degrees to starboard.
“While the two sections remain on the
reef, both are now open to the sea and vulnerable to more damage. The stern section is
also listing heavily at about 24 degrees and is
heaving in current swells of about 4.5m. The
bow section is still firmly wedged in place on
the reef, but it is open to flooding from the
sea and is expected to deteriorate further in
the rough conditions.”
Navigational warning: floating
containers and debris
All vessels in the area were recommended to
navigate with extreme caution and the Bay of
Plenty Regional Council issued navigational
warnings for shipping and boat users to
avoid new hazards fallen from the ship.
Moreover, all vessels were ordered to proceed
at slow speed, keep a good lookout and travel
through the area in daylight only. The debris
field was extensive and its movement unpredictable and could extend further.
The container recovery company onsite
had tugs en route to tag containers with
buoys as weather conditions were too rough
to tow or safely recover them, while vessels
with trawl nets would also be sent out to collect debris once conditions improved after
the vessel split in two.
Navigational warnings had also been is-
The M/V Rena
was carrying
1700 tons heavy
fuel-oil and over
200 tons marine
diesel fuel.
3
1
4
5
2
6
LAMOR NEWSREEL
19
sued to shipping, with the port company
communicating with individual ships via
port radio and warnings issued to recreational vessels via Coastguard radio. Shipping
lanes were also being monitored for containers and debris. The Bay of Plenty Regional
Council Harbor Master extended the three
nautical miles exclusion zone due to the
large debris field from M/V Rena.
M/V Rena’s stern was listing at 24 degrees
on its starboard side and had leaked up to 350
tons of oil and less than a third of that had
washed ashore and been cleaned up. The 1368
containers onboard, 88 were lost to sea and
20 washed up on the shore. As of December
28, a total of 341 containers have been removed from the M/V Rena and clean-up operations are still ongoing. With the wind and
sea storms in early January, an estimated 200300 containers had washed overboard when
the M/V Rena split in two on January 7.
As of early January, salvage crews had removed more than 1,100 tons of oil from the
stricken vessel, but an estimated 385 tons remain aboard. New Zealand’s Environment
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
Minister Smith said the efforts of rescue officials over the past three months had impacted and limited the damage caused by the
break-up. “The risk to the environment is a
fragment of what it was, with at the most
tens of tons of oil rather than hundreds of
tons that potentially could be spilled,” he said
in a press conference in Tauranga.
“Any oil coming ashore in the coming
days is expected to be much less the amount
that washed up after the M/V Rena first went
aground. Moreover, people should exercise
their common sense and not swim or surf
where there is likely to be containers, debris
or oil coming ashore,” said Alex van Wijngaarden, New Zealand’s National On-Scene
Commander.
The environmental damage has caused
massive pollution to the marine environment. It has already devastated the community of one of New Zealand’s leading seaside
and tourist resorts. The economic costs,
including the costs of cleaning up the region’s coastline, will run into many millions
of dollars.
Accident waiting to happen
– sub-standard and human error
The M/V Rena was a medium-size container
ship built in 1990 and registered in Liberia,
a major “flag of convenience” country of registry. The vessel was considered to be a relatively old container ship and was beginning
to deteriorate and fall below an acceptable
standard (sub-standard) for safe operation.
Moreover, she had bewen cited for numerous navigation and other issues during various inspections.
As the investigation unfolded regarding
what happened on October 5, it was revealed
that the M/V Rena had altered its charted
course (Passage Plan), for unknown reasons,
several times during the night of the incident
heading to meet the Pilot at the Port of Tauranga. The new course heading was directly in
line with the well-charted reef in clear visibility.
That said, the M/V Rena, due to its age,
was not fitted with the newest technologies
available e.g. an electronic chart display,
thus, any instrumental readings onboard
needed to be manually transferred to naviga-
A beached
container from
M/V Rena.
MNZ en route to
Rena onboard
Lamor JBF 420
workboat.
Lamor’s Steve
Reilly on scene
during M/V
Rena incident.
tional maps, and this did not happen. The
M/V Rena bridge crew’s loss of situational
awareness in open water was a contributing
factor in the accident.
On-scene support
MNZ alerted all rescue, salvage and clean-up
operators in the area including the New Zealand Defence Forces. Support also came
from Australia (AMSA) and Singapore to
name a few. Lamor was the only oil spill
equipment supplier on-scene in Tauranga to
assist MNZ and the many outside agencies
that responded to this incident.
Lamor’s VP Global Business, Steve Reilly,
was on scene and filed this report:
”We were there soon after it happened
and worked with the various responders on
the water in Tauranga harbor and in the staging areas to ensure all the Lamor equipment
and vessels were ready to go. The weather
was very difficult for the first week and the
response was focused on several key areas
and along the beautiful beaches of Bay of
Plenty. Two of the Lamor JBF 420 vessels
that MNZ acquired several years ago were in
great condition and worked mostly in the
harbor area every day.”
”The MNZ JBF vessels had on board the
Lamor GT A 30 heavy duty screw pumps and
diesel hydraulic power packs. These worked
in conjunction with JBF Dynamic Incline
Plane (DIP) skimming modules over the
bow. Our GT A screw pumps were ideal for
this kind of weathered heavy fuel oil floating
in the water. The larger Lamor DHPP 84 HP
power units were also used on several separate oil spill response vessels and were
very dependable in the clean-up efforts. Multiple authorities and agencies from Australia
sent key OSR personnel and equipment to
assist , including some Lamor LSS 420
beach cleaners which worked well collecting
some of the heavy oil and debris along the
shoreline.” ■
LAMOR NEWSREEL
21
M/V Rena
in figures
Source: MARITIME NEW ZEALAND
22
LAMOR NEWSREEL
Beach clean-up
Wildlife
• 997,5 tons of waste collected
• A total of 8,061 volunteers are
registered in the volunteer database
• 500 birds can be housed at the Wildlife
treatment and rehabilitation facility
established in Te Maunga
• A total of 409 birds were being cared for
in the facility at the height of the
response, including 345 little blue
penguins, 60 New Zealand dotterel and 4
pied shags
• 120 rare New Zealand dotterels in Bay of
Plenty area
• 1,700 rare New Zealand dotterels in
existence
• 2,066 dead birds collected
Salvage
• Over 1,300 tons of oil recovered through
fuel recovery operations on board Rena
• 320 tons removed from the starboard no.
5 tank
• 1,712 tons of oil on board Rena when it
grounded
• Around 350 tons of oil lost overboard off
Rena on 11 October
• stimated 5–10 tons of oil lost overnight
on Saturday 22 October
• 25 crew on board Rena at time of
grounding
• 40 member salvage team from the
appointed salvage company Svitzer with
local support teams and colleagues
providing round-the-clock technical
advice and analysis from Australia,
Singapore and the Netherlands
Containers
• 1,368 containers on board Rena at time
of grounding
• 547 containers stored above deck at the
time of grounding
• 821 containers stored below deck at time
of grounding
• 121 containers with perishable
foodstuffs
• 32 containers with dangerous goods
• Estimated 150 containers (total) lost
overboard (Jan 13, 2012)
• 389 containers removed (Jan 11, 2012)
since container recovery began on Nov
16, 2011
• 219 transponders fitted to containers
Equipment
• 1 Squirrel Helicopter for winching people
on and off Rena
• 1 C172 aircraft used for aerial observation flight
• 1 MNZ-owned oil recovery vessels, Kuaka
from Auckland
• 1 anchor-handling tug, Go Canopus, on
site for container recovery, receiving oil
and capable of maintaining station in
poor weather
• 1 landing craft vessel Brandy Wine
• 1 barge Sea Tow 60
• 1 crane barge Smit Borneo, used for
removing containers from Rena
• 600 meters of ocean-going booms from
across New Zealand
• Salvage equipment brought by Svitzer
includes air compressors, power
generators, chains, shackles, ropes, tools
and oil removal equipment
• 1 double-hulled tanker Awanuia, capable
of receiving oil from Rena
• 1 MNZ-owned oil recovery vessels
Tukuperu from Picton
• 2 Port of Auckland tugs Maui and Waka
Kume and Auckland barge Paponui
• 1 tug Swiber Torunn
• 1 crane ship Pancaldo
• 1 Bell 214 Helicopter flying equipment to
Rena, carrying 3 tons at a time
• 3 local tugs mobilized to intercept
drifting containers and debris
• 3 mussel barges, Ocean Phoenix,
Northern Quest and Union Beach, used
for on-water oil recovery operations
• 4 NZDF Navy inshore patrol vessels,
Rotoiti, Hawea, Taupo, and Pukaki
• 1 NZDF Navy fuel tanker Endeavour
• NZDF light operational vehicles
• NZDF Seasprite helicopter
• 5 NZDF Unimogs
• NZDF literal warfare support group
personnel and assets, conducting
surveys of shipping lanes
Response
• Between 200–300 personnel managing
the response from the incident command
centre. These included people from MNZ,
the National Response Team, regional
and local councils, Massey University, the
Department of Conservation, the
University of Waikato, WWF and New
Zealand Fire Service. This figure also
includes trained oil spill responders
leading volunteers and other personnel
in the field
• Approx. 150 NZDF personnel, from the
Air Force, Navy and Army, with another
150 on short notice to respond as
needed
• Approx. 150 Department of Conservation
personnel providing field support to the
wildlife response, conducting field
surveys, collecting live and dead oiled
wildlife, and providing logistical support,
with others available at short notice
• Approx. 100 people working in the
wildlife response team, including
National Oiled Wildlife Response Team
personnel, veterinarians, ornithologists
and expert responders with experience
in the capture and treatment of oiled
birds
LAMOR NEWSREEL
23
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI
Christmas Island
– torn from moorings
O
n January 8, a dramatic rescue operation took place off Australia’s Christmas Island when crew members jumped into the choppy seas from the M/V Tycoon
that was carrying phosphate. The crew was forced to abandoned ship when the
M/V Tycoon broke from its moorings and crashed against a cliff face. The ship
had been loading phosphate for three days before the mooring broke.
Christmas Island residents were instructed to keep their windows shut to avoid the
acrid diesel fumes. Moreover, large amounts of fuel oil leaked from the ship which could
become an environmental disaster. The M/V Tycoon split in two and eventually sank in
shallow water adjacent to a rock wall and close to the wharf. It is believed to have broken
in half due to the pounding from the rough seas.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) activated the National Plan to
Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious and Hazardous Substances. AMSA
estimated about 102 tons of intermediate fuel oil, 11,000 liters of lubricant oil, 32 tons of
diesel oil and approx. 260 tons of phosphate was onboard the vessel. The M/V Tycoon
was built in 1983 and is owned by Taiwanese firm and sails under a Panamanian flag of
convenience.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation team arrived on the island to begin the on-site investigation. Moreover, AMSA officials initiated an investigation into whether there were breaches in navigation law.
On January 12, AMSA reported that removal of the M/V Tycoon is a complex and
highly technical operation. The owners are seeking salvage and other specialist technical
advice in regards to the removal of the wreck from the area. The port remained closed to
shipping due to weather conditions.
Moreover, there is little evidence of any significant impact on Christmas Island wildlife. The clean-up crew found four oiled shore crabs, however, hundreds of thousands of
juvenile crabs emerged from the sea at Flying Fish Cove to make the ritual march up to
the rainforest.
M/V Tycoon broke from its moorings and
smashed against the cliffs resulting in a fuel oil leak.
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI
AMSA issu
A
new risk assessment report has
been released by the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
as part of a 10 yearly review of Australia’s National Plan to Combat
Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious
and Hazardous Substances (the National
Plan) and National Maritime Emergency Response Arrangements (NMERA). The report,
titled “Assessment of the Risk of Pollution
from Marine Oil Spills in Australian Ports
and Waters” was prepared by international
risk assessment experts Det Norske Veritas
(DNV) following a competitive tender process.
24
LAMOR NEWSREEL
es its Oil Spill Risk Assessment
The report provides important data to be
taken into account in the review of the National Plan and NMERA, which is expected
to be completed in the first half of 2012. The
National Plan is a national integrated government and industry system enabling effective
response to marine pollution incidents.
AMSA manages the National Plan, working
with state/Northern Territory governments,
shipping, oil, exploration and chemical industries to maximize Australia’s marine pollution response capability. For the purposes
of the risk assessment process, the Australian coastline is divided into 120 sub-regions.
Each region is then allocated an environ-
mental risk index, which takes into account
the main factors affecting the risk of oil spills
in the marine environment, including shipping densities, environmental sensitivity,
and the likely frequency and size of oil spills
based on international and Australian data.
The new study indicates only minor changes
from a previous risk assessment completed
in 1999, with the major changes being higher risks along the coastlines of northern
Queensland, eastern Victoria and eastern
South Australia.
The report also estimates the potential
change to the current level of risk by 2020.
Estimates of future growth in shipping take
into account expansion plans provided by
34 Australian ports, with bulk commodity
ports in Queensland and Western Australia
contributing to an expected overall average
growth in port traffic of six percent per year.
Risk reduction measures, such as new
international regulations requiring double
hulls around new ships’ fuel tanks and future changes to requirements for ship fuels,
are taken into account in the study. The risk
assessment will be used during the review
of the National Plan and NMERA arrangements, in particular considering the adequacy of the current arrangements to deal with
the risks.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
25
Swedish Coast Guard:
Operation
Kyrkesund
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: SWEDISH COAST GUARD
On September 15 the Swedish Coast Guard (SCG) received the first alert of
oil contaminated shores on the south west coast of Sweden. It immediately led to activation of OSR actions in the area and Operation Kyrkesund
was triggered to immediate responders. Initially it was unclear where the
oil came from, but the priority was to contain and recover any oil affecting
the archipelago.
26
LAMOR NEWSREEL
D
anish authorities had informed
SCG the day before that there had
been a ship collision outside the
Danish west coast and that one of
the ships was leaking oil. That
said, the collision between the cargo vessel
from Malta and a Belgian fishing boat had
occurred a few days earlier, but had not been
reported to authorities since damage seemed
minor at the time, until oil began to leak. The
harsh weather conditions in the area complicated and hampered OSR operations and the
Danish authorities were able to recover approx. 60 m2 of oil.
Hurricane winds and choppy seas carried the oil slick to the Swedish coast which
was deemed thereafter to be one of the worst
to affect the area in over 20 years. The Swedish Coast Guard worked in close cooperation
with the local rescue service and the Swedish
Sea Rescue Society (SSRS) also contributing
by means of ships, booms and personnel.
In Operation Kyrkesund, SCG’s response
vessels, oil recovery vessels for shallow waters and skimmers were deployed coupled
with a large amount of booms to contain the
oil. Moreover, OSR vessel KBV 050, which
belongs to SCG, was also deployed to the
area. KBV 050 is fitted with Lamor in-built oil
recovery systems, LORS, as well as several of
the workboats used in Operation Kyrkesund
were equipped with Lamor Bow Collectors.
The OSR responders effectively and efficiently recovered a total of 644 m2 of oil.
Containment
and recovery
operations in
South West of
Sweden.
Lamor Bow
Collector.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
27
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos:SWEDISH COAST GUARD
The Christmas Pine
OIL SLICK
Pine oil leaked from chemical
refinery in Sweden resulting
in a 2 km long oil slick
resulting deployment of YAG
Louhi.
A
pine oil slick was heading towards
Finland from Sweden across the
Gulf of Bothnia. Shortly before
Christmas approx. 800 m2 of pine
oil spilled into the Baltic Sea from
the Arizona Chemicals refinery on the eastern coast of Sweden in Sandarne. The Swedish Coast Guard (SCG) deployed their OSR
vessels, equipment and personnel and in a
single day approx. 140 mᵌ of pine oil was recovered. SCG spokesperson stated that Lamor’s in-built brush skimmers (LORS) fitted
on SCG’s vessel KBV 002 were well suited
also for this type of oil recovery operations.
An approx. two km long and 600 m wide
pine oil slick was heading towards Finland’s
western coast. The Finnish Coast Guard deployed YAG Louhi and Linja to tackle the oil
slick. YAG Louhi is Finland’s newest OSR
28
LAMOR NEWSREEL
vessel equipped with Lamor’s LORS in-built
oil recovery system. That said, operations
were halted when the OSR vessels encountered hurricane strength winds and heavy
seas in the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia.
After the storms subsided, the oil slick had
dispersed and air surveillance is searching
the western coast of Finland for any remnants or signs of the slick.
Pine oil has not been analyzed thoroughly about the risks, but when spilled in these
quantities it can threaten eco-systems and
wildlife. The oil is used in aromatherapy, as
bath scent oils, in cleaning products, etc. The
oil is acquired by steam distillation of needles, twigs and cones from a variety of species of pine at refineries such as the Arizona
Chemicals refinery in Sandarne which is the
largest pine oil refinery in the world.
Lamor brush skimmer
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photo: LAMOR CORPORATION
I
n late 2011, Lamor delivered to Gazprom
Neft Shelf a 19m multipurpose vessel
that will ultimately be used for the company’s oil spill response operations in the
Barents Sea. The new vessel has been christened ‘Krab’ (Russian for crab).
The oil recovery vessel with the built-in
oil recovery system LORS on both sides was
designed and custom built specifically for
Gazprom Neft Shelf, a full owned member
company of Russian giant Gazprom. The
multi-purpose vessel Krab will stay over winter in the docks in St.Petersburg and in the
spring 2012 venture to its final destination,
the Prirazlomnoye offshore oil field in the
Barents Sea.
“In addition to oil recovery, our vessel can
also be used as a multi-purpose vessel for
boom deployment, dispersant spraying, service tasks and as a safety patrol boat,” explains Lamor’s Nikolai Kildishov, VP Russia
& CIS.
Kildishov highlights some of the vessel’s
benefits: “The vessel has hull mounted brush
packs, which enables recovered oil to be delivered directly to the recovered oil storage tanks
in the mid-ship without the need of using oil
transfer pumps,” he says.
“Another great advantage is that the
brush conveyors are in direct connection with
the oil on the water surface which notably improves the high viscous oil and debris collection capabilities, but also collecting of light
oils in Arctic conditions. Moreover, the vessel
is built according to ice class Ice 2 and certified by the Russian Maritime Register of
Sippng (RMRS),” Kildishov highlights enthusiastically.
In addition to the oil recovery vessel,
Lamor also delivered earlier to Gazprom Neft
Shelf two Landing Crafts LC9000 with cabins and a rubber inflatable boat as well as
Bow Collectors to be fitted on already existing
workboats. “We also provided four kms of oil
containment booms and a boom washing
machine,” explains Kildishov.
Lamor Delivers
New Vessel to
Gazprom Neft
Shelf in Russia
Krab en route to the Prirazlomnoye oil field in the Barents sea.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
29
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photo: LAMOR CORPORATION
M/T Alexandria
Joins EMSA Fleet
M/T Alexandria
Ship Particulars
Vessel type:
Oil Tanker
Storage Capacity:
7,458m³
Length:94m
Breadth:18.50m
Draught:
9.60m
Heating capacity:
5,742 kW
Pumping capacity:
1,850m³/h
Installation of Lamor
equipment prior to
commissioning.
I
n early August, 2011, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) successfully concluded acceptance tests of M/T Alexandria. The testing was
conducted off the coast of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Lamor’s Pekka Eskelinen stated: “The M/T Alexandria will enhance
EMSA’s oil response fleet in the region and with the successful conclusion
of the acceptance tests, she will now become a Standby Oil Spill Response Vessel (SOSRV).
M/T Alexandria has a storage capacity of 7,458 m³. “The bunker vessel has
been pre-fitted with Lamor’s rigid sweeping arms with brush/weir skimmer
modules as well as independent skimmers and oil booms,” says Eskelinen.
30
LAMOR NEWSREEL
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photo:EMSA
EMSAs Oil Pollution
Response Vessel Network
In 2004 European Maritime Safety Agency
(EMSA) was tasked for setting up a network of
vessels, equipment and other resources to help
EU Member States deal with pollution from
ships. EMSA has contracted commercial vessels
which can, at short notice (within approx.
24hrs) be transformed into oil recovery vessels
with state-of-the-art equipment. These ships
normally undertake other day-to-day tasks,
but have the ability to load equipment and respond rapidly to spills when needed.
EMSA’s Bernd Bluhm,
Head of Pollution
Control.
EMSA
in 2011 arranged five tenders covering the Baltic
Sea, Bay of Biscay, western Mediterranean, central Mediterranean
and the Black Sea. New equipment was required in four of them, where existing equipment from earlier contracts and equipment
stockpiles was made available. After careful
assessments and evaluation EMSA finally
awarded four new contracts, out of which
three contracts required new equipment. ”We
are now strengthening our close cooperation
with the selected partners,”says EMSAs
Bernd Bluhm, Head of Pollution Control.
The equipment deliveries mainly consist
of Lamor rigid sweeping arms 12m and 15m
with dedicated cranes for safe deployment at
offshore conditions, equipped with brush
skimmer modules for medium and heavy
oils and weir modules for light oils. The rapidly and easily interchangeable brush skim-
mer and weir skimmer modules make the
vessels operational in any types of oil spill
under any conditions offshore, while simultaneously being extremely user friendly.
EMSA offers a comprehensive fleet of
Standby Oil Spill Recovery Vessels (SOSRV)
available in all major European sea areas,
from the Baltic to the Black Sea, encompassing ships available in most parts of the Mediterranean, Atlantic and North Sea.
In early August the acceptance test of the
SOSRV M/T Alexandria (storage capacity of
7,458 m³) was successfully conducted by
EMSA in Cyprus. ”After a comprehensive
testing procedure to verify the performance
and suitability of both crew and equipment,
the M/T Alexandria is now ready to provide
services to any Member State and Accession
State of the European Union. Contracted
from the Cyprus based company Petronav,
the M/T Alexandria reinforces EMSA’s re-
sponse capacity in the eastern Mediterranean, a major conduit for hydrocarbons reaching Europe via North Africa, the Middle East,
Suez Canal and Black Sea,” says Bluhm.
Lamor also provides IMO (International
Maritime Organization) certified oil spill response training for the vessel crews. Lamor
is the only oil spill response equipment supplier that is an accredited training provider,
having the rights to train IMO Oil Spill Responder levels 1 – 3.
“EMSA is now very satisfied that all the
coastline is covered with multiple contracts
and vessels equipped with state-of-the-art
equipment. The latest tender round produced three new contracts and we look forward to having all three vessels pre-fitted and
equipped well before the june 2012 deadline,” reinforces Bluhm.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
31
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION
Liaison
with
France
– sharing knowledge with a
common goal for effective oil
spill response operations
In late September, 2011, the Brest, France based
Centre of Practical Expertise in Pollution Response
(CEPPOL) together with Marseille, France based
Bourbon Offshore visited Lamor Corporation to
familiarize themselves with oil spill recovery
equipment and new technologies.
32
LAMOR NEWSREEL
Lamor Free Floating
Offshore Skimmer LFF 100
on YAG Louhi.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
33
T
he distinguished guests from
CEPPOL and Bourbon Offshore were given a demonstration onboard YAG Louhi, Finland’s and the Baltic Sea’s most
efficient offshore multi-purpose oil and
chemical spill vessel equipped with Lamor’s
newest oil spill recovery (OSR) technology
and solutions. YAG Louhi began operations
in the Gulf of Finland in mid-2011.
Commissioned by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the €48 million YAG
Louhi is based at the Port of Upinniemi approx. 40 kms west of Helsinki in the archipelago. The vessel is operated by the Finnish
Navy and YAG Louhi is equipped to sail in
the Baltic Sea all year round and it can reach
a speed of 15 knots and penetrate 50 cm (20
in) thick ice sheets, travelling at 7.5 knots.
CEPPOL is in charge of preparing the
French Navy for its environmental responsi-
bilities and providing support and expertise
to the maritime authorities and response operation coordinators.
It is a unit of the French Navy under the
authority of the commander of the Atlantic
maritime area (CELCANT), and is commissioned as the interdepartmental authority for
pollution response within the Navy and is
answerable to the Maritime Headquarters.
Bourbon offers the offshore oil and gas
industry a full spectrum of marine services
based on a range of innovative, latest-generation and highly productive vessels. The company has two principal activities, marine and
subsea services
One vessel with multi-functions
Lamor’s Regional Manager Europe, Christoffer Wallgren explains: “The multipurpose
vessel YAG Louhi has been fitted with several
of our newest OSR technologies such as our
in-built skimmers that are capable of collecting 1,200 tons of spilled oil during a deployment,” he says.
“The vessel has four different types of
Lamor brush skimmers, in-built brush conveyor belt-type skimmers, bucket skimmers
mounted on cranes, free floating offshore
skimmers with umbilical hose reel systems
and so called ice brushes mounted on the aft
deck,” Wallgren highlights.
YAG Louhi is designed to be capable of
recovering spilled oil and chemicals in both
open water and ice conditions, extinguishing
shipboard fires and emergency towing of
ships operating in the Gulf of Finland. The
new vessel also has sufficient icebreaking capability to assist oil tankers. In addition to
environmental duties, YAG Louhi will be
used as a support ship for underwater operations by the Finnish Navy.
YAG Louhi
(l – r) Jean-Pierre
Mortreux, Eitel M.
Boka, Jean-Luc
Antoine,
Jean-Pierre Inizian,
Bruno Lesven.
Lamor LFF 400
34
LAMOR NEWSREEL
Hands-on cooperation
CEPPOL’s Commandant Jean-Pierre Inizian
is highly appreciative for the liaison visit to
garner information about OSR equipment
from Lamor and familiarization with YAG
Louhi. “The aim of our visit was to get a
hands-on introduction to the latest multipurpose OSRV and its equipment. The patented Wave Dampening Channel for oil recovery in high seas and stormy conditions
coupled with in-built Lamor Free Floating
Offshore skimmer, the LFF100, were very
impressive,” he stated.
“Moreover, I want to thank Captain
Markus Santasalo together with his crew on
YAG Louhi who made our visit onboard a
positive and unforgettable memory for all of
us!” Commander Inizian stated.
“I want to express my appreciation and
extend my thank you for the technical information regarding the Lamor offshore
The aim of our visit
was to get a hands-on
introduction to the
latest multi-purpose
OSRV and its
equipment.
LFF100 skimmer,” says CEPPOL’s Bruno
Lesven, Technical Engineer.
“The demonstrations and implementation of the oil spill response equipment onboard YAG Louhi was perfect and very enriching. Christoffer you arranged a perfect
liaison visit that was not only informative but
fun,” says CEPPOL’s Jean-Luc Antoine, Technical Engineer.
Bourbon Offshore’s Project Manager, Ei-
tel M. Boka stated: “The in-built Lamor OSR
equipment was highly interesting and I enjoyed observing the equipment demonstrations onboard. That said, another interesting
and unique feature to see onboard, and a
novelty I might add, was the in-built sauna.
We do understand and respect the need for a
sauna in arctic conditions such as in Finland,
so I must conclude that YAG Louhi is truly a
multi-purpose vessel with multi functions in
multi scenarios for multi-talented people,”
he says with a broad smile.
Jean-Pierre Mortreux, Office Director at
Lamor France stated: We value the cooperation and expertise of CEPPOL and Bourbon
Offshore since we have a common goal, specifically oil spill recovery operations. Collectively we need to work together when tackling incident’s that have both long and
short-term effects on the environment. Thus,
such visits are important for all involved. ■
LAMOR NEWSREEL
35
Lamor delivered
containerized OSR
equipment to the
French naval base and
Koniambo Nickel in
New Caledonia.
Commissioning
in New Caledonia T
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION
he French naval base in Nouméa, New Caledonia recently procured Lamor’s containerized
Minimax 30 skimmer systems, including oil
transfer pumps GT A 50 and LPP 50 power
packs. Lamor’s Regional Manager, Europe Christoffer Wallgren together with Lamor France Director
Jean-Pierre Mortreux provided training, service,
support and commissioning for the newly acquired
OSR equipment.
Wallgren and Mortreux also provided training
and commissioning of two custom built containerized Lamor Heavy Duty Oil Boom systems and LPP
19 power packs for Koniambo Nickel SAS (KNS).
The company is presently building a world-class industrial complex which will contribute to making
New Caledonia one of the world’s largest nickel producers once production reaches full capacity. Koniambo Nickel will operate a mine, a pyrometallurgical nickel foundry, a power-generating station and
other complementary infrastructures, notably a privately-owned deep-water port, an 11km land-based
conveyor and a seawater desalination plant. The beginning of ore treatment is planned for the second
quarter of 2012 with a gradual increase in power to
reach an annual production of 60,000t of nickel
content in 2014.
36
LAMOR NEWSREEL
Text: THOMAS BARBIERI
Qatar’s Organized
Responders to OSR
In the State of Qatar the principal organization for oil spill response is
Qatar Petroleum’s (QP) Oil Spill & Emergency Response Department
(OS&aERD). It is responsible for state wide oil spill response operations
including but not limited to oil spill preparedness, combat and recovery
operations for Qatar Petroleum, and the areas assigned under responsibility of the State of Qatar.
T
hat said, in the event of an oil spill in Doha Port, the Doha Port Management Company is responsible for responding to an oil spill and clean-up
operation. OS&ERD monitors the operations and provides necessary support when needed.
During Q1 2011 Qatar Petroleum issued a tender for the supply of skilled personnel, services including supervision, management, in the form oil spill manpower support. The requirement stipulated that the winning bidder would be responsible for operating and maintaining all of OS&ERD oil spill recovery
equipment. In cooperation with its local partner, IECO Petroleum Services, Lamor
Corporation was the successful bidder for the three year contract.
In its scope of work Lamor has delivered management, supervisors, senior oil
spill responders, oil spill responders and maintenance staff who will work in cooperation with OS&ERD staff. During any future oil spill incident, Lamor personnel
will be involved directly as a part of the OS&ERD operation.
The OS&ERD is responsible for all offshore oil recovery and clean-up operations, which include Halul Island and various QP platforms coupled with the
North Field. In addition to covering offshore assets OS&ERD must also respond to
land based oil spill recovery and clean-up operations at the following locations:
Dukhan operational area, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Mesaieed Industrial City, QP
Refinery and any area affected by an oil spill incident.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
37
Responsible
Preparedness
is Necessary
with the proper training and equipment
Training should never be under-estimated
or neglected since the source of knowledge is
experience.
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
Ibearibusae eos magnis dit offic tem sint. Um faccae volupta nulluptiis doloria
musdam, consequatio quiEveliquat parchil lupitectam nonsequi si
Text: ANN-CHARLOTTE FOGDE Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION
E
nvironmental responsibility incorporates
being professionally prepared through
training and having the necessary equipment for rapid intervention during oil
spill accidents. Lamor offers these opportunities to take advantage of learning by implementing effective and efficient operations worldwide, on every terrain and in any climatic
condition.
The training of oil spill response personnel is
an integral part of a robust emergency preparedness and response program; a warehouse stocked
with state-of-the art oil recovery equipment is of
little or no use without the properly trained manpower to deploy and operate the equipment efficiently and effectively. In any oil spill incident
and scenario, the response time is critical to the
successful outcome of clean-up operations and
its long-term impacts on eco-systems and environments.
Lamor’s Vince Mitchell instructing MSRC staff.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
39
Vince Mitchell
Jaime Herrera
Lamor offers customers and governmental agencies that are responsible for oil spill
response, monitoring, and control, a threelevel fully accredited training program mandated by the UN’s International Maritime
Organization (IMO). Lamor’s training program, which is offered locally or on-site at
the customer’s location, is certified by the
UK
Institute; an important achieveThe Nautical
Great Barrier
ment
for
Lamor
Reef, Australia. considering the Institute’s
strict accreditation policies and procedures.
Moreover, Lamor’s equipment is certified
by Bureau Veritas, and the company continuously invests in new equipment and solutions. In addition to this, Lamor always provides intensive training when it delivers its
equipment. That said, and most importantly,
within the Lamor team there are qualified
HAZWOPER and Confined Space Trainers
as well as Health and Safety experts.
Recognized hands-on training
provider
“So far, we have not actively engaged in marketing our training services. All our oil spill
response equipment deliveries to our clients
automatically include intensive training in
conjunction with the commissioning and
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
“Success is what
happens when
preparedness
meets opportunity.”
(Roman philosopher Seneca mid 1st century AD)
therefore we already have been recognized
over the years as a training provider within
the industry,” says Vince Mitchell, Lamor’s
Vice President Special Projects.
“Our training providers are also active
Lamor Response Team (LRT) members, with
hands-on experience derived from working
on major oil spills around the world. Our
management has acted as on scene commanders at numerous oil spill incidents and
the LRT has extensive managerial knowledge
and expertise of oil spill accidents in various
environments and weather conditions such
as offshore, on land, arctic and desert climates,” Mitchell explains.
“Increasingly, oil operating companies,
governmental agencies, military and coastguards from around the world contact us for
our training opportunities, most notably our
IMO 1-2 courses. We are also in charge of the
European Maritime Safety Administration’s
(EMSA) OSR drills and we also take part in
international OSR exercises, as for example
in the recent Balex Delta. ■
The programs have been developed so that all participants become knowledgeable and hence react
quickly and efficiently to the various situations that need to be confronted at any given moment.
Oil spill responce training courses
LEVEL I
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
IMO Level I course:
First Responders
IMO level II course:
Supervisors and On-Scene
Commanders
IMO Level III course:
Administrators and Senior
Managers
Duration: minimum 3 days
(2-4 days in classroom and 1 day of “handson” practical exercises and demonstrations)
Duration: 5 days
Duration: 3 days
Target participants: Personnel that
already have some experience in oil spill
response, have completed a course
equivalent to the operational level course,
have supervisory responsibilities and
training, and are likely to be in charge of oil
spill response coordination.
Target participants:
Administrators and Senior Managers
• Pe Managers and administrators who
have overall responsibility for ensuring
effective command and control
• Senior government agency personnel
involved in oil spill response
• Staff who would be responsible for
liaising with external agencies at a
corporate level
• Senior managers and administrators who
have overall responsibility for crisis
management in oil spill response
Target participants:
The course is relevant for field supervisors
such as Marine Officers, Shoreline Strike Team
Leaders, and other personnel who will be
involved in oil spill combating operations.
Curriculum of topics covered:
• Oil Spill Response Safety and Awareness
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Fate and Effects of Spilled Oil • Containment Devices
• Recovery Methods • River response techniques
• Shoreline/inland Clean-up Methods • Waste Disposal & Management
Curriculum of topics covered:
• Overview of spill response
• Contingency planning, response
management and organization
• Oil spill behavior, fate and effects
• Spill assessment
• Operations planning, Containment and
recovery of oil In-situ burning
• Dispersants, Shoreline clean-up,
Site safety
• Transfer, storage and disposal,
Media relations
• Evidence gathering and documentation, Communications and information
• Liability and compensation
• Response deactivation, Post incident
debriefing
• Table-top exercise
Curriculum of topics covered:
• Causes, fate and effects of spilled oil
• Contingency planning
• Oil spill response strategies, limitations
and issues
• International co-operation - the legal
framework
• Liability, compensation and cost recovery
• Spill management, roles and
responsibilities
• Communication and media issues
• Termination of response, Post spill
monitoring
• Oil spill modeling
• Case histories
• Table-top exercises
LAMOR NEWSREEL
41
Lamor Minimax 12 skimmer,
Lamor power-pack 6 kW with
Spate peristaltic suction pump
and Lamor beach boom.
Text:THOMAS BARBIERI Photo: LAMOR CORPORATION
BLACK SEA OSR EXERCISES
Geodelta 2011
O
n September 15, 2011 Georgia hosted GEODELTA 2011 (The Operational Black Sea Delta Regional
Exercise) in Batumi. Oil transportation by tankers is connected to pollution
risk that seriously threatens Georgia’s and
neighboring countries’ environments. To
avoid this expected danger Georgia has already held special exercises and training
against Black Sea pollution.
Participants in the training from the
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
Black Sea countries were: Turkey, Romania,
Bulgaria and Ukraine, representatives of International Maritime Organization (IMO),
vessels of European Maritime Safety Agency
coupled with various Georgian governmental and private agencies.
Lamor’s VP Global Business, Steve Reilly,
commented: “We feel it is very important to
participate in these events, especially on the
Tier 3 level. As a leading OSR equipment
supplier and active provider of OSR training
and preparedness, the Black Sea countries
certainly benefit from these well organized
exercises, and we fully support their initiatives and commitment to always be prepared. The need for cross-border cooperation with equipment, personnel and
expertise is essential, especially in emergency situations. Moreover, preparedness, communication and knowledge on how to tackle
a spill lessen the environmental impacts.”
News
Working together
Interspill 2012, the European oil spill conference
and exhibition, March 13-15, 2012 at the ExCel in London.
The underlying conference theme of
Working Together aims to look towards
the next generation, to those that will be
dealing with future spills, and to deliver
that essential element in this industry networking. Interspill 2012 opening
plenary session on March 13, “What the
World Thinks About Oil Spills”, will be
introduced by BBC Science correspondent David Shukman.
Interspill 2012 is owned and
organized by a tripartite group,
combining the European Oil Spill
Industry, with the International
Petroleum Industry Environmental
Conservation Association, (IPIECA),
representing the environmental and
conservation interests of the international petroleum industry, and the
European Maritime Safety Agency
(EMSA), recognizing its tasks concerning
marine pollution preparedness and
response in Europe. Moreover, Interspill
2012 is supported by the International
Maritime Organization, (IMO),
International Oil Pollution Compensation
Funds (IOPC), the International Tanker
Owners Federation (ITOPF) and
France’s Centre of Documentation,
Research and Experimentation on
Accidental Water Pollution (CEDRE).
The ExCeL London is located in the
heart of London’s Royal Docks, within
easy reach of central London. Situated in
a stunning waterfront location, ExCeL
London is part of a 100 acre campus,
including three onsite Docklands Light
Railway(DLR)stations,easyaccesstothe
Jubilee Line and London City Airport,
parking for 3,700 cars, six onsite hotels
and numerous bars and restaurants.
Visit us at stand
nr. V100.
See you there!
Lamor is proud to introduce a Finnish language version of its web site.
Olemme ylpeitä voidessamme esitellä Lamorin uudet suomenkieliset kotisivut.
Lamor is proud to introduce an Arabic language version of its web site.
LAMOR NEWSREEL
43
Meet us at
Offshore Arabia
Dubai, UAE, February 27–29, 2012
Interspill 2012
London, UK, March 13–15, 2012
Oil & Gas West Asia
Muscat, Oman, April 16–18, 2012
OTC Houston 2012
Texas, USA, April 30–May 3, 2012
Safety – Security 2012
Tampere, Finland, September 5–7, 2012
Rio Oil & Gas 2012
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 17–20, 2012
Clean Gulf
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, November 13–15, 2012
Lamor Finland
Lamor UK
Lamor USA
Lamor China
Urakoitsijantie 12
06450 Porvoo, Finland
tel: +358 20 765 0100
fax: +358 20 765 0129
email: info@lamor.com
3 Medina Court, Arctic Road
Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7XD,
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 1983 280 185
Fax: +44 1983 280 056
Email: uk.info@lamor.com
18 Beach Street
Seymour, CT 06483
United States
Tel: +1 203 888 7700
Fax: +1 203 888 7720
Email: info@lamor.com
Xiaguangli No. 66
Chaoyang District
100027 Beijing, China
Tel: +86 10 8446 7400
Fax: +86 10 8446 7440
Email: info@lamor.com.cn
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LAMOR NEWSREEL
www.lamor.com