ReelNewsReel

In this issueClaiming the Arctic | PAGE 6

Black Tide in Bay of Plenty | PAGE 16

Operation Kyrkesund | PAGE 26

EMSAs Oil Pollution Response VesselNetwork | PAGE 31

Liaison with France | PAGE 32

1/2012

Your oil spill solution expert

Lamor (Larsen Marine Oil Recovery) Corporation offers solutions for optimal oil spill response and recovery. With offi ces, staff and equipment strategically lo-

cated around the world, Lamor is able to deploy on scene rapidly and effective-ly 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. Moreo-

ver, 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 a Spanish language version of its web site.Lamor se enorgullece en presentar una versión en español de su sitio web.

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.

3LAMOR NEWSREEL

contentsNewsReel 1/2012

Liaison with FranceCEPPOL and Bourbon Offshore visit Lamor and share knowledge with a com-mon goal for effective OSR operations.

Commissioning in New CaledoniaFrench naval base and Koniambo Nickel in New Caledonia orders Lamor’s containerized OSR equipment.

Qatar’s Organized Responders to OSRQatar Petroleum Oil Spill and Emergency Response Department is responsible for the country’s OSR operations.

Responsible Preparedness is Necessary Training of OSR personnel is an integral part of preparedness and response, and environmental responsibility incorporates being professionally prepared.

Black Sea OSR ExercisesThe Operational Black Sea Delta Regional Exercise was hosted in Batumi, Georgia for training in OSR activities on the Black Sea.

News

Fred’s Review

Claiming the Arctic Increased interest in the Arctic Ocean’s vast treasures of natural resources yet to be ex-ploited and continued claims of sovereignty.

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.

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.

Christmas Island – torn from mooringsM/V Tycoon broke from its moorings and smashed against the cliffs resulting in a fuel oil leak.

AMSA issues Oil Spill Risk AssessmentThe 10 yearly review titled “Assessment of the Risk of Pollution from Marine and Oil Spills in Australian Ports and Waters”.

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Swedish Coast Guard: Operation Kyrkesund Worst oil spill in 20 years on south west coast of Sweden triggers Operation Kyrkesund that includes Lamor OSR equipment.

The Christmas Pine Oil SlickPine oil leaked from chemical refinery in Sweden resulting in a 2 km long oil slick resulting deployment of YAG Louhi.

Lamor Delivers New Vessel to Gazprom Neft Shelf in RussiaLamor delivers a 19m multi-purpose vessel for OSR operations to Prirazlomnoye offshore oil field in the Barents Sea.

M/T Alexandria Joins EMSA FleetEuropean Maritime Safety Agency successfully concludes acceptance tests of M/T Alexandria off the coast of Cyprus.

EMSAs Oil Pollution Response Vessel NetworkEMSA continues building its network of vessels, equipment and other resources to help EU members deal with pollution from ships.

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

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e all acknowledge, recognize and pro-actively 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 re-sponders who can lessen oil spill damage, and save eco-systems. Claiming the Arctic region is not just about prov-ing 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

Wagain communications need to be crystal clear, but so does having the right equipment and trained per-sonnel to operate the equipment. I have said this be-fore it is not ‘if’ an oil spill occurs, it is ‘when’ it occurs, the contingency plans need to be activated and na-tions 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 identi-fied the responsible authority for incidents in their region and in Goa, India the “Oil Spill India 2011” was

Fred’s Review

A Comprehensive Risk Analysis – let’s SWOT it out!

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Fred Larsen, CEO

Fred Larsen

hosted. All these are solid steps forward. Taking a proactive role in preparedness and iden-tifying 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 re-sponders have the latest training in OSR use. Collec-tively, let’s be ready, do the right thing and have the best available technology and equipment in any cli-matic 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.

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI

The Arctic Ocean is becoming more accessible and the momentum is ris-ing 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 na-tions in their use of the world’s oceans, es-tablishing guidelines for businesses, the en-vironment coupled with the management of marine natural resources.

Countries in the region are increasing

their lobbying efforts and activities providing their perceptions of evidence and justifica-tions 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. Ten-sions and verbal diplomatic spats have esca-lated between the nations. Under interna-tional 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 dis-pute, UNCLOS has set out, with the exper-tise of geologists and other specialist scien-tists, 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 cientificallyIn mid-2009 Russia’s President Medvedev stated in a television interview: “Our main

A frozen ’treasure’ is soon to be discovered since its fortification is melting rapidly.

CLAIMING THE ARCTIC

-mare liberum

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CLAIMING THE ARCTIC

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 Lo-monosov Ridge, a 1,240-mile underwater mountain range that cuts across the Arctic Ocean, is geologically part of the Russian main-land coupled with Mendeleev Ridge that are extensions of the Eurasian continent.

Denmark (via Greenland), also has its in-terests in claiming the ridge, stating it is an extension of Greenland, which is a self- governing province of Denmark. This is fol-lowed 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 reaf-firming 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 na-tions are trying to solve this issue through the umbrella organization UNCLOS, howev-er, in accordance with article 287, any nation can opt to settle the dispute via the Interna-tional Tribunal for the Law of the Seas, to date this has not happened.

A new geopolitical battlegroundIn early 2011, at an Arctic conference held in Tromsö, Norway, U.S. Rear Admiral Dave Titley stated: “We believe that sometime

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An Arctic oil spill could set off irreversible chain-reactions of contamination if training and equipment is not in place.

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between 2035 and 2040, there is a pretty good chance that the Arctic Ocean will be essen-tially ice-free for about a month.” These long-er periods of ice-free waters will likely mean more vessels trying to navigate the narrow straits and channels of the Northwest Pas-sage, a series of waterways along the US coast that wind through Canada’s Arctic archipela-go 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

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 wa-terways. 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 “interna-tional seaways” and rights to passage along them e.g. the Northern Passage.

Beyond profits and sovereigntyAs 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 par-ticularly extreme for drilling because of the punishing cold, long periods of darkness, dense fogs, and hurricane-strength winds.

Lamor’s knowledge, expertise and com-mitment 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 hazard-ous accidents such as oil spills in all terrains and climates,” says Fred Larsen, CEO of Lamor Corporation.

The Arctic Ocean’s ecosystem is consid-ered 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 con-tamination,” he says. “An Arctic oil spill could set off irreversible chain-reactions of contamination. The lack of sunlight also im-pacts the breakdown of spilled oil and other chemicals. Therefore, it is essential for both corporations and governments to be respon-sible and take the necessary steps by invest-ing in training and equipment to reduce a catastrophic environmental disaster, and this is where we can help,” Larsen says confident-ly and categorically. ■

Temperatures in the Arctic are rising faster than anywhere else in the world.

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FIGHTING OIL SPILLS IN ARCTIC CONDITIONS – with reliability and efficiency

11LAMOR NEWSREEL

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.

FIGHTING OIL SPILLS IN ARCTIC CONDITIONS Text: VINCE MITCHELL Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION

– with reliability and efficiency

Finnish multipurpose OSR vessel Halli.

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his increased activity will also in-clude oil and gas exploration, de-velopment and production activi-ties 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 OilThe foremost physical properties effecting oil when spilled is its density (specific gravi-ty, 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 dif-ferences that will impact the oil spill re-sponders include:

Evaporation: This occurs when the light-er, more volatile components are lost mainly

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 tem-perature and to a lesser degree the air tem-perature. Oil spilled in the arctic will be more viscous and spread less than oil spill in warmer waters.

These will cause differences in the be-havior 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 for-mation 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 EquipmentIn 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 loca-tion which may include: noise, fire and ex-plosions, 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-

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Lamor OSR equipment in icy conditions.

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ble, to mitigate or design out, wherever pos-sible, the effects of any potential hazards.

Mechanical Containment and Recovery EquipmentThis is the most “traditional” of the oil com-bating techniques and involves what com-monly comes to mind when one thinks about response to oil spills; the use of oil containment booms and oil recovery skim-mers. The vessel platforms selected for this offshore mechanical containment and recov-ery should be suitable for the harsh environ-mental conditions, provide adequate facili-ties 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 heat-ing) and the ability to avoid or process any ice that may be encountered.

Oil Containment BoomsOil booms can be used to collect oil, contain oil, protect areas at risk and assist in shore-line cleanup if needed. In offshore open wa-ter 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 thick-ness 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 floata-tion material which can range from air to solid foam and some type of tension mem-ber/ballast weight which commonly ranges

The behavior of any oil spilled in arctic conditions will differ compared to oil spilled in more temperate climates.

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from chain to lead weights. It should be not-ed that all oil booms will eventually fail in increasing ice conditions due to the tremen-dous 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 mem-ber/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 re-duced as the ice acts as a natural booming material, concentrating the oil into the nar-row channels or into pockets in the ice.

Oil RecoveryOnce 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 com-mon type of oil skimmers is Oleophilic (oil attracting), Weir, Vacuum, Hydrodynamic and Mechanical. While there are many dif-ferent individual and varieties of oil skim-mers, the two most prevalent skimmers used offshore are the oleophilic and weir skim-mers.

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

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 vulner-able 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 subse-quently 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 di-rect function of the surface area of the recov-ery material and the ability to effectively scrape it off.

Adaptations of the oleophilic brush skim-mer principle that has been specifically adapted for arctic use in broken ice condi-tions 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. Moreo-ver, Lamor has operated in western Siberia, the Arctic Ocean (Prirazlomnoye) and east-ern 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 advanc-ing speeds up to 4 knots, recover all viscosi-ties of oil with an extremely low (< 5%) water content. This system can be enhanced with the use of an outrigger jib arm(s), and sweep-ing 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 automa-tion.

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 SkimmerThis skimmer was specifically designed to operate in the extreme cold and under bro-ken 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 uti-lized in free floating or vertically suspended operations.

Lamor Oil Recovery BucketThe Lamor Oil Recovery Bucket is designed to be mounted to and deployed from an exca-vator or crane. This is an active skimming system with complete control of the skim-ming unit. The bucket itself can be utilized for the heaviest of oil products and solid ma-terials, including the processing of ice piec-es. This is best utilized for recovery of pock-ets of oil found in the ice.

Mechanical containment and recovery tacticsOil 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

Lamor has advanced arctic oil spill clean-up equipment, knowledge and expertise and continues to strategically invest in its R&D activities.

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Lamor Side Collector

(bottom l-r) Viscous oil recovery with LORS built-in 8 brush conveyor system.

Lamor Arctic skimmer.

non-mechanical or dispersants methods in their product portfolio for combating spilled oil offshore especially in the arctic region.

The bottom lineIn evaluating the reliable and effective tools for oil spill response operations in the arctic, it becomes clear that except for the equip-ment developed by a few companies, most notably Lamor, the majority of the response equipment currently in use in the arctic re-gions is adapted from equipment used in more temperate climates. That said, addi-tional 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. ■

Black Tide in Bay

of Plenty

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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% sub-merged, including the bridge, and a few days later slid off the reef and submerged totally.

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: MARITIME NEW ZEALAND

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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. Ob-servers noted these patches of oil ap-

peared 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 con-tainers 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 indi-ces. The M/V Rena also was carrying 1,700 tons heavy fuel-oil and over 200 tons of ma-rine 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 op-erations 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 Is-sues, Hon. Dr. Nick Smith declared the M/V Rena to be New Zealand’s worst ever mari-time environment disaster. On January 8, the vessel split in two, leaving a separation dis-tance 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

Maritime Safety Authority, is the lead agency for the coordination of clean-up efforts and salvage in the M/V Rena grounding and sub-sequent spill. Overall MNZ’s responsibilities include maritime safety, security and marine environment protection for the country.

MNZ Salvage Unit Manager David Bil-lington 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 over-night (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 vul-nerable 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 debrisAll 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 unpre-dictable 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 col-lect debris once conditions improved after the vessel split in two.

Navigational warnings had also been is-

A The M/V Rena was carrying 1700 tons heavy fuel-oil and over 200 tons marine diesel fuel.

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sued to shipping, with the port company communicating with individual ships via port radio and warnings issued to recreation-al vessels via Coastguard radio. Shipping lanes were also being monitored for contain-ers 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 re-moved from the M/V Rena and clean-up op-erations are still ongoing. With the wind and sea storms in early January, an estimated 200-300 containers had washed overboard when the M/V Rena split in two on January 7.

As of early January, salvage crews had re-moved more than 1,100 tons of oil from the stricken vessel, but an estimated 385 tons re-main aboard. New Zealand’s Environment

Minister Smith said the efforts of rescue of-ficials over the past three months had im-pacted 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 Wijn-gaarden, New Zealand’s National On-Scene Commander.

The environmental damage has caused massive pollution to the marine environ-ment. It has already devastated the commu-nity of one of New Zealand’s leading seaside and tourist resorts. The economic costs, including the costs of cleaning up the re-gion’s coastline, will run into many millions of dollars.

Accident waiting to happen – sub-standard and human errorThe M/V Rena was a medium-size container ship built in 1990 and registered in Liberia, a major “flag of convenience” country of reg-istry. The vessel was considered to be a rela-tively 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 numer-ous navigation and other issues during vari-ous 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 Tau-ranga. 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-

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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 supportMNZ alerted all rescue, salvage and clean-up operators in the area including the New Zea-land 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 stag-ing 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 sepa-rate oil spill response vessels and were very dependable in the clean-up efforts. Mul-tiple 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’s Steve Reilly on scene during M/V Rena incident.

A beached container from M/V Rena.

MNZ en route to Rena onboard Lamor JBF 420 workboat.

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M/V Rena in figures

Source: MARITIME NEW ZEALAND

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Beach clean-up• 997,5tonsofwastecollected• Atotalof8,061volunteersare

registered in the volunteer database

Salvage• Over1,300tonsofoilrecoveredthrough

fuel recovery operations on board Rena• 320tonsremovedfromthestarboardno.

5 tank• 1,712tonsofoilonboardRenawhenit

grounded• Around350tonsofoillostoverboardoff

Rena on 11 October• stimated5–10tonsofoillostovernight

on Saturday 22 October• 25crewonboardRenaattimeof

grounding• 40membersalvageteamfromthe

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• 1,368containersonboardRenaattime

of grounding • 547containersstoredabovedeckatthe

time of grounding• 821containersstoredbelowdeckattime

of grounding• 121containerswithperishable

foodstuffs • 32containerswithdangerousgoods• Estimated150containers(total)lost

overboard(Jan13,2012)• 389containersremoved(Jan11,2012)

since container recovery began on Nov 16,2011

• 219transpondersfittedtocontainers

Wildlife• 500birdscanbehousedattheWildlife

treatment and rehabilitation facility established in Te Maunga

• Atotalof409birdswerebeingcaredforin the facility at the height of the response,including345littlebluepenguins,60NewZealanddottereland4pied shags

• 120rareNewZealanddotterelsinBayofPlenty area

• 1,700rareNewZealanddotterelsinexistence

• 2,066deadbirdscollected

Equipment• 1SquirrelHelicopterforwinchingpeople

on and off Rena• 1C172aircraftusedforaerialobserva-

tion flight• 1MNZ-ownedoilrecoveryvessels,Kuaka

from Auckland • 1anchor-handlingtug,GoCanopus,on

site for container recovery, receiving oil and capable of maintaining station in poor weather

• 1landingcraftvesselBrandyWine• 1bargeSeaTow60• 1cranebargeSmitBorneo,usedfor

removing containers from Rena• 600metersofocean-goingboomsfrom

across New Zealand• SalvageequipmentbroughtbySvitzer

includes air compressors, power generators, chains, shackles, ropes, tools and oil removal equipment

• 1double-hulledtankerAwanuia,capable

of receiving oil from Rena• 1MNZ-ownedoilrecoveryvessels

Tukuperu from Picton• 2PortofAucklandtugsMauiandWaka

Kume and Auckland barge Paponui• 1tugSwiberTorunn

• 1craneshipPancaldo• 1Bell214Helicopterflyingequipmentto

Rena,carrying3tonsatatime• 3localtugsmobilizedtointercept

drifting containers and debris • 3musselbarges,OceanPhoenix,

Northern Quest and Union Beach, used for on-water oil recovery operations

• 4NZDFNavyinshorepatrolvessels,Rotoiti, Hawea, Taupo, and Pukaki

• 1NZDFNavyfueltankerEndeavour• NZDFlightoperationalvehicles• NZDFSeaspritehelicopter• 5NZDFUnimogs• NZDFliteralwarfaresupportgroup

personnel and assets, conducting surveys of shipping lanes

Response• Between200–300personnelmanaging

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.150NZDFpersonnel,fromtheAir Force, Navy and Army, with another 150 on short notice to respond as needed

• Approx.150DepartmentofConservationpersonnel 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.100peopleworkinginthewildlife response team, including National Oiled Wildlife Response Team personnel, veterinarians, ornithologists and expert responders with experience in the capture and treatment of oiled birds

Christmas Island – torn from moorings

n January 8, a dramatic rescue operation took place off Australia’s Christmas Is-land 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 is-land to begin the on-site investigation. Moreover, AMSA officials initiated an investiga-tion 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 wild-life. 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.

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI

new risk assessment report has been released by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) as part of a 10 yearly review of Aus-tralia’s National Plan to Combat

Pollution of the Sea by Oil and other Noxious and Hazardous Substances (the National Plan) and National Maritime Emergency Re-sponse 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 pro-cess.

M/V Tycoon broke from its moorings and smashed against the cliffs resulting in a fuel oil leak.

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AMSA issues its Oil Spill Risk AssessmentText: THOMAS BARBIERI

A

O

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AMSA issues its Oil Spill Risk AssessmentText: THOMAS BARBIERI

The report provides important data to be taken into account in the review of the Na-tional Plan and NMERA, which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2012. The National Plan is a national integrated govern-ment 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 in-dustries to maximize Australia’s marine pol-lution response capability. For the purposes of the risk assessment process, the Australi-an 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 ship-ping 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 high-er 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 fu-ture 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 arrange-ments, in particular considering the adequa-cy of the current arrangements to deal with the risks.

Swedish Coast Guard:

Operation Kyrkesund

On September 15 the Swedish Coast Guard (SCG) received the first alert of oil contaminated shores on the south west coast of Sweden. It immedi-ately 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.

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: SWEDISH COAST GUARD

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Lamor Bow Collector.

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 compli-cated and hampered OSR operations and the Danish authorities were able to recover ap-prox. 60 m2 of oil.

Hurricane winds and choppy seas car-ried 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 Swed-ish 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 wa-ters 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 effi-ciently recovered a total of 644 m2 of oil.

D Containment and recovery operations in South West of Sweden.

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The Christmas Pine OIL SLICK

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 east-ern coast of Sweden in Sandarne. The Swed-ish Coast Guard (SCG) deployed their OSR vessels, equipment and personnel and in a single day approx. 140 mᵌ of pine oil was re-covered. SCG spokesperson stated that Lam-or’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 de-ployed YAG Louhi and Linja to tackle the oil slick. YAG Louhi is Finland’s newest OSR

vessel equipped with Lamor’s LORS in-built oil recovery system. That said, operations were halted when the OSR vessels encoun-tered 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 rem-nants or signs of the slick.

Pine oil has not been analyzed thorough-ly 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 nee-dles, twigs and cones from a variety of spe-cies of pine at refineries such as the Arizona Chemicals refinery in Sandarne which is the largest pine oil refinery in the world.

A

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos:SWEDISH COAST GUARD

Lamor brush skimmer

Pine oil leaked from chemical refinery in Sweden resulting in a 2 km long oil slick resulting deployment of YAG Louhi.

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The Christmas Pine OIL SLICK I

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photo: LAMOR CORPORATION

n late 2011, Lamor delivered to Gazprom Neft Shelf a 19m multipurpose vessel that will ultimately be used for the com-pany’s oil spill response operations in the

Barents Sea. The new vessel has been chris-tened ‘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 win-ter 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, ser-vice tasks and as a safety patrol boat,” ex-plains 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 deliv-ered 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 im-proves the high viscous oil and debris collec-tion capabilities, but also collecting of light oils in Arctic conditions. Moreover, the vessel is built according to ice class Ice 2 and certi-fied by the Russian Maritime Register of Sippng (RMRS),” Kildishov highlights enthu-siastically.

In addition to the oil recovery vessel, Lamor also delivered earlier to Gazprom Neft Shelf two Landing Crafts LC9000 with cab-ins 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.

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Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photo: LAMOR CORPORATION

M/T Alexandria Joins EMSA Fleet

M/T Alexandria Ship ParticularsVessel type: Oil TankerStorage Capacity: 7,458m³Length: 94mBreadth: 18.50mDraught: 9.60mHeating capacity: 5,742 kWPumping capacity: 1,850m³/h

Installation of Lamor equipment prior to commissioning.

n early August, 2011, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) suc-cessfully 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 Ves-sel (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.

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Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photo:EMSAM/T Alexandria Ship ParticularsVessel type: Oil TankerStorage Capacity: 7,458m³Length: 94mBreadth: 18.50mDraught: 9.60mHeating capacity: 5,742 kWPumping capacity: 1,850m³/h

EMSAs Oil Pollution Response Vessel Network

in 2011 arranged five ten-ders covering the Baltic Sea, Bay of Biscay, west-

ern Mediterranean, central Mediterranean and the Black Sea. New equipment was re-quired in four of them, where existing equip-ment 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 rap-idly and easily interchangeable brush skim-

EMSAmer and weir skimmer modules make the vessels operational in any types of oil spill under any conditions offshore, while simul-taneously 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, encompass-ing ships available in most parts of the Medi-terranean, 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-

EMSA’s Bernd Bluhm, Head of Pollution Control.

sponse capacity in the eastern Mediterrane-an, a major conduit for hydrocarbons reach-ing Europe via North Africa, the Middle East, Suez Canal and Black Sea,” says Bluhm.

Lamor also provides IMO (International Maritime Organization) certified oil spill re-sponse training for the vessel crews. Lamor is the only oil spill response equipment sup-plier that is an accredited training provider, having the rights to train IMO Oil Spill Re-sponder 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 pro-duced three new contracts and we look for-ward to having all three vessels pre-fitted and equipped well before the june 2012 dead-line,” reinforces Bluhm.

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 re-spond rapidly to spills when needed.

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Liaison with

France

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.

– sharing knowledge with a common goal for effective oil

spill response operations

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION

Lamor Free Floating Offshore Skimmer LFF 100on YAG Louhi.

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34 LAMOR NEWSREEL

he distinguished guests from CEPPOL and Bourbon Off-shore were given a demonstra-tion onboard YAG Louhi, Fin-land’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 Environ-ment Institute (SYKE), the €48 million YAG Louhi is based at the Port of Upinniemi ap-prox. 40 kms west of Helsinki in the archi-pelago. 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 op-eration coordinators.

It is a unit of the French Navy under the authority of the commander of the Atlantic maritime area (CELCANT), and is commis-sioned 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-genera-tion and highly productive vessels. The com-pany has two principal activities, marine and subsea services

One vessel with multi-functionsLamor’s Regional Manager Europe, Christof-fer 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 collect-ing 1,200 tons of spilled oil during a deploy-ment,” he says.

“The vessel has four different types of Lamor brush skimmers, in-built brush con-veyor 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 ca-pability to assist oil tankers. In addition to environmental duties, YAG Louhi will be used as a support ship for underwater opera-tions by the Finnish Navy.

(l–r)Jean-PierreMortreux, Eitel M. Boka, Jean-Luc Antoine, Jean-Pierre Inizian, Bruno Lesven.

YAG Louhi

Lamor LFF 400

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35LAMOR NEWSREEL

Hands-on cooperationCEPPOL’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 multi-purpose OSRV and its equipment. The pat-ented Wave Dampening Channel for oil re-covery 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 infor-mation regarding the Lamor offshore

LFF100 skimmer,” says CEPPOL’s Bruno Lesven, Technical Engineer.

“The demonstrations and implementa-tion of the oil spill response equipment on-board YAG Louhi was perfect and very en-riching. Christoffer you arranged a perfect liaison visit that was not only informative but fun,” says CEPPOL’s Jean-Luc Antoine, Tech-nical Engineer.

Bourbon Offshore’s Project Manager, Ei-

tel M. Boka stated: “The in-built Lamor OSR equipment was highly interesting and I en-joyed observing the equipment demonstra-tions 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 coopera-tion and expertise of CEPPOL and Bourbon Offshore since we have a common goal, spe-cifically oil spill recovery operations. Collec-tively we need to work together when tack-ling incident’s that have both long and short-term effects on the environment. Thus, such visits are important for all involved. ■

The aim of our visit was to get a hands-on introduction to the latest multi-purpose OSRV and its equipment.

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Commissioning in New Caledonia T

he French naval base in Nouméa, New Caledo-nia 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 Christof-fer 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 container-ized Lamor Heavy Duty Oil Boom systems and LPP 19 power packs for Koniambo Nickel SAS (KNS). The company is presently building a world-class in-dustrial complex which will contribute to making New Caledonia one of the world’s largest nickel pro-ducers once production reaches full capacity. Ko-niambo Nickel will operate a mine, a pyrometallur-gical nickel foundry, a power-generating station and other complementary infrastructures, notably a pri-vately-owned deep-water port, an 11km land-based conveyor and a seawater desalination plant. The be-ginning 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.

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION

Lamor delivered containerized OSR equipment to the French naval base and Koniambo Nickel in New Caledonia.

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T

Qatar’s Organized Responders to OSR

hat said, in the event of an oil spill in Doha Port, the Doha Port Manage-ment Company is responsible for responding to an oil spill and clean-up operation. OS&ERD monitors the operations and provides necessary sup-

port when needed.During Q1 2011 Qatar Petroleum issued a tender for the supply of skilled per-

sonnel, services including supervision, management, in the form oil spill man-power support. The requirement stipulated that the winning bidder would be re-sponsible 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 coop-eration 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 opera-tions, 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.

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 respon-sibility of the State of Qatar.

Text: THOMAS BARBIERI

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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.

39LAMOR NEWSREEL

nvironmental responsibility incorporates being professionally prepared through training and having the necessary equip-ment for rapid intervention during oil spill accidents. Lamor offers these oppor-

tunities to take advantage of learning by imple-menting effective and efficient operations world-wide, on every terrain and in any climatic condition.

The training of oil spill response personnel is an integral part of a robust emergency prepared-ness and response program; a warehouse stocked with state-of-the art oil recovery equipment is of little or no use without the properly trained man-power to deploy and operate the equipment effi-ciently 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 envi-ronments.

Text: ANN-CHARLOTTE FOGDE Photos: LAMOR CORPORATION

Lamor’s Vince Mitchell instructing MSRC staff.

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The Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Lamor offers customers and governmen-tal agencies that are responsible for oil spill response, monitoring, and control, a three-level fully accredited training program man-dated by the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO). Lamor’s training pro-gram, which is offered locally or on-site at the customer’s location, is certified by the UK Nautical Institute; an important achieve-ment for Lamor considering the Institute’s strict accreditation policies and procedures.

Moreover, Lamor’s equipment is certified by Bureau Veritas, and the company continu-ously invests in new equipment and solu-tions. In addition to this, Lamor always pro-vides 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 mar-keting our training services. All our oil spill response equipment deliveries to our clients automatically include intensive training in conjunction with the commissioning and

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 com-manders at numerous oil spill incidents and the LRT has extensive managerial knowledge and expertise of oil spill accidents in various

“Success is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity.”

environments and weather conditions such as offshore, on land, arctic and desert cli-mates,” Mitchell explains.

“Increasingly, oil operating companies, governmental agencies, military and coast-guards 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. ■

(Roman philosopher Seneca mid 1st century AD)

Vince Mitchell

Jaime Herrera

IMO Level I course: First Responders

Duration: minimum3days(2-4 days in classroom and 1 day of “hands-on” practical exercises and demonstrations) 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:• OilSpillResponseSafetyandAware-

ness • PersonalProtectiveEquipment• FateandEffectsofSpilledOil• ContainmentDevices• RecoveryMethods• Riverresponsetechniques• Shoreline/inlandClean-upMethods• WasteDisposal&Management

IMO level II course: Supervisors and On-Scene CommandersDuration: 5 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.

Curriculum of topics covered:• Overviewofspillresponse• Contingencyplanning,response management and organization • Oilspillbehavior,fateandeffects• Spillassessment• Operationsplanning,Containmentand

recovery of oil In-situ burning • Dispersants,Shorelineclean-up, Site safety • Transfer,storageanddisposal, Media relations • Evidencegatheringanddocumentation,

Communications and information • Liabilityandcompensation• Responsedeactivation,Postincident

debriefing • Table-topexercise

IMO Level III course: Administrators and Senior ManagersDuration:3days

Target participants: Administrators and Senior Managers• PeManagersandadministratorswho

have overall responsibility for ensuring effective command and control

• Seniorgovernmentagencypersonnelinvolved in oil spill response

• Staffwhowouldberesponsibleforliaising with external agencies at a corporate level

• Seniormanagersandadministratorswhohave overall responsibility for crisis management in oil spill response

Curriculum of topics covered: • Causes,fateandeffectsofspilledoil• Contingencyplanning• Oilspillresponsestrategies,limitations

and issues • Internationalco-operation-thelegal

framework • Liability,compensationandcostrecovery• Spillmanagement,rolesand responsibilities • Communicationandmediaissues• Terminationofresponse,Postspill

monitoring • Oilspillmodeling• Casehistories• Table-topexercises

LEVEL I

Oil spill responce training coursesLEVEL 2 LEVEL3

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.

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42 LAMOR NEWSREEL

n September 15, 2011 Georgia host-ed GEODELTA 2011 (The Opera-tional Black Sea Delta Regional Exercise) in Batumi. Oil transpor-

tation by tankers is connected to pollution risk that seriously threatens Georgia’s and neighboring countries’ environments. To avoid this expected danger Georgia has al-ready held special exercises and training against Black Sea pollution.

Participants in the training from the

Black Sea countries were: Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine, representatives of In-ternational Maritime Organization (IMO), vessels of European Maritime Safety Agency coupled with various Georgian governmen-tal 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

O

Text:THOMAS BARBIERI Photo: LAMOR CORPORATION

Geodelta 2011

and preparedness, the Black Sea countries certainly benefit from these well organized exercises, and we fully support their initia-tives and commitment to always be pre-pared. The need for cross-border coopera-tion with equipment, personnel and expertise is essential, especially in emergen-cy situations. Moreover, preparedness, com-munication and knowledge on how to tackle a spill lessen the environmental impacts.”

Lamor Minimax 12 skimmer, Lamorpower-pack6kWwithSpate peristaltic suction pump and Lamor beach boom.

BLACK SEA OSR EXERCISES

43LAMOR NEWSREEL

Working togetherThe 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 correspond-ent 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 interna-tional 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, easy access to the Jubilee Line and London City Airport, parking for 3,700 cars, six onsite hotels and numerous bars and restaurants.

Interspill 2012, the European oil spill conference and exhibition, March 13-15, 2012 at the ExCel in London.

Visit us at stand nr. V100. See you there!

News

Lamor is proud to introduce an Arabic 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.

44 LAMOR NEWSREEL

Meet us at

Lamor FinlandUrakoitsijantie 1206450 Porvoo, Finlandtel: +358 20 765 0100fax: +358 20 765 0129email: info@lamor.com

Lamor UK3 Medina Court, Arctic RoadCowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7XD, United KingdomTel: +44 1983 280 185Fax: +44 1983 280 056Email: uk.info@lamor.com

Lamor USA18 Beach StreetSeymour, CT 06483United StatesTel: +1 203 888 7700Fax: +1 203 888 7720Email: info@lamor.com

Lamor China Xiaguangli No. 66Chaoyang District100027 Beijing, ChinaTel: +86 10 8446 7400Fax: +86 10 8446 7440Email: info@lamor.com.cn

www.lamor.com

Offshore ArabiaDubai,UAE,February27–29,2012

Interspill 2012London,UK,March13–15,2012

Oil & Gas West AsiaMuscat,Oman,April16–18,2012

OTC Houston 2012Texas,USA,April30–May3,2012

Safety – Security 2012Tampere,Finland,September5–7,2012

Rio Oil & Gas 2012RiodeJaneiro,Brazil,September17–20,2012

Clean GulfNewOrleans,Louisiana,USA,November13–15,2012