Salvage%20World%20Q1%202011

Associate Members’ Day 2011 MARCH 2011 INTERNATIONAL SALVAGE UNION

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The International Salvage Union held its popular annual conference for its associate and affiliated members in London in March. The event had attracted more than 120 registered delegates.

President of the ISU, Todd Busch, opened the conference and welcomed the delegates. He also welcomed ISU’s new legal adviser, Rob Wallis, and thanked his predecessor, Archie Bishop, for his long service to the ISU.

The President also reminded the conference that environmental salvage awards continue to be relevant. Mr Busch said: “We believe that we have strong arguments and that we have identified straightforward ways in which modifications could be made to the Salvage Convention to bring about change. We think that our case is persuasive and fair. But we know that not everyone agrees with our position and we know that any process of change will necessarily be a lengthy one.”

The ISU’s professional advisers gave updates on their work including presentation of the ISU’s 2010 pollution prevention figures (see story page 5) and there was a programme of guest speakers.

Grant Hunter, BIMCO’s chief documentary officer, briefed the conference on the work to develop its new standard contracts, Wreckstage, Wreckfixed and Wreckhire which is nearing completion.

Lt Commander Glen Forbes RN (retd)

Special Casualty Representatives' SeminarThe biennial seminar for Special Casualty Representatives (SCRs) was held in London the day after the ISU Associate Members’ Day. The meeting was jointly sponsored by the ISU and the International Group of P&I Clubs and was held on HQS Wellington which is moored on the river Thames.

Attendees included many of the panel of Special Casualty Representatives (SCRs), ISU members and advisers and P&I Club representatives.

The programme included updates on developments in respect of Lloyd's Form, SCOPIC and BIMCO wreck removal agreements as well as a presentation on the operation to remove the broken-backed tanker, ELLI, offshore Egypt. And there was an open forum to consider topical issues including the training of aspirant SCRs.

of the Forbes Wallace consultancy updated delegates on the piracy threat, and considered the multinational response to the issue. And Jan Groot of PlatformBrokers.com outlined some of the issues about removing structures from the North Sea and noted where salvors might find business opportunities.

Delegates learned about liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied natural gas cargoes from Captain David Cudbertson of Shell. He explained the highly technical construction of the gas carriers - the latest generation of which can be bigger than very large crude carriers

The salvage panel take questions. Left to right: Rob Wallis, John Halfweeg, Fokko Ringersma, Andreas Tsavliris, Todd Busch.

Nikolaos Pappas (left) and Lothar Friis

(VLCCs) - and noted their particular requirements in casualty situations.

Lesley Cripps of new ISU associate member, Chapman Freeborn, outlined capabilities and issues in the air freighting and chartering business and a panel of senior salvors and ISU advisers tackled questions put from the floor.

There was also an exhibition of the shortlisted entries for the inaugural ISU Photograph Competition and the winner was announced (see page 6). The conference concluded with a drinks reception for delegates and speakers.

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ISU NEWS

Lloyd’s Open Form 2011

Amendments to Lloyd’s Open Form 2000 and the Lloyd’s Standard Salvage and Arbitration (LSSA) clauses have been agreed and publication of what will be known as LOF 2011 is imminent. It follows lengthy and constructive debate at the Lloyd’s Salvage Group over the past 18 months.

Two new clauses have been added to LOF. The first enables publication of Awards on the Lloyd’s Agency website. It is intended to make the process more transparent and inclusive. The second requires the contractor to notify Lloyd’s within 14 days of their engagement to render services.

Changes to the LSSA clauses include new provisions with regard to security for the Arbitrator and Appeal Arbitrator’s fees and, again, publication of awards. The final changes relate to unrepresented cargo in container vessel cases.

Firstly, communication with unrepresented cargo interests shall be deemed proper if it is sent to the party providing the salvage security in respect of that property. Secondly, subject to the express approval of the Arbitrator, where agreement is reached between the contractor and the owners of salved cargo comprising at least 75% of the value of the salved cargo that agreement shall be binding on unrepresented cargo interests. Thirdly, again subject to the express approval of the Arbitrator, any salved cargo with a value below an agreed figure may be omitted from the salved fund and excused from liability for salvage where the cost of including such cargo in the process is likely to be disproportionate to its liability for salvage. More on LOF 2011 in the next edition of Salvage World.

Lloyd’s Appeal Arbitrator

Mr Justice Teare has been invited to continue in his role as the Lloyd’s Salvage Arbitration Branch Appeal Arbitrator for a further year. Sir Nigel Teare, an English High Court judge, had been appointed to the position of Appeal Arbitrator as an interim measure following the major changes to the Lloyd’s Salvage Arbitrators’ Panel during 2009.

Piracy

The ISU Executive Committee has considered the issue of piracy which is a well-known and growing threat in certain waters. The Committee did not think it right to issue any formal guidance or advice to members who must make their own decisions about security and operations in dangerous areas. But ISU noted the good work done by Intertanko - an ISU Affiliated Member - and others on the matter (see story page 4) and draws ISU members’ attention to the information available at http://www.saveourseafarers.com

New member

The ISU is pleased to welcome Malayan Towage and Salvage Corp. (SALVTUG) as a full member. Contact details:

Tel +63 2885-7740 Fax +63 8810-0766

18th Floor Equitable Bank Tower 8751 Paxeo de Roxas Salcedo Village Makati City 1226, Philippines

Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Environmental Salvage Awards

ISU has reconfirmed its commitment to work for the introduction of salvage awards that recognise the benefits to the environment from salvage operations.

It follows a key speech given by ISU President, Todd Busch, to the international marine law body, the Comité Maritime International late last year. New legal adviser, Rob Wallis, reinforced the point at the ISU’s Associate Members Day, saying: "ISU has every wish to continue with the environmental salvage process and that is what they will do.”

The ISU will create new content on its website highlighting the issue and supporting its arguments.

Our member in HavanaCuban ISU member, Antillana de Salvamento, was in action in difficult weather in January.

The gas carrier LIBRAGAS, 7179 tonnes dwt, and laden with a cargo of butane and propane, was drifting in strong winds and grounded in the Nuevitas Channel near the port of Nuevitas in the north eastern part of Cuba. The port is important for both industry and fishing.

After signing a LOF, a salvage plan was developed to allow for the lightening of the vessel by removing 1500 tonnes of the liquefied petroleum gas. The gas was transferred to the tanker BAKU alongside. Once lightening was complete, tugs, assisted by the vessel’s own propulsion, pushed LIBRAGAS off the bottom on a rising tide in line with the salvage plan.

Throughout the operation there were strong winds and 3-4 metre seas. The vessel was redelivered to her owners on 20 January.

Lightening the LIBRAGAS

MEMBERS' NEWS

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TITAN Salvage

Captain Rich Habib has been appointed vice president of TITAN Salvage with responsibility for the company's overall performance, including operations, administration, finance and commercial activities. He will work from TITAN's headquarters in Pompano Beach, Florida and reports to Todd Busch, Crowley Maritime Corporation's senior vice president and general manager of technical services. TITAN is a Crowley subsidiary.

"I am very pleased to welcome Rich back to TITAN," said Busch. "He began as one of our jack-up barge superintendents and then became a salvage master. Later he was TITAN's senior salvage master and director of salvage. Needless to say he brings a wealth of experience to his new position, which will serve our clients around the world very well."

Habib is a 1977 graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy. He served in various posts including commanding officer of a patrol boat and rescue station. He also undertook a posting to the US Navy serving a tour aboard a frigate.

RESOLVE Marine Group and T&T BISSO

The two ISU members announced a coalition for marine firefighting services in US waters. The agreement combines both companies’ extensive firefighting infrastructure to produce overlapping coverage and higher volume firefighting capacity throughout the US. The coalition will help tank vessel operators fully comply with the new Oil Pollution Act of 1990 regulations that came into effect in February 2011.

MULTRASHIP

Multraship christened its two newest azimuth stern-drive multipurpose tugs in a special ceremony at the Portaal van Vlaanderen in Terneuzen, Netherlands in February (above right).

Joan Nuijten-Muller of Multraship performed the christening ceremony on MULTRATUG 18. She is designed for a multi-role capability for harbour, escort and sea towage as well as fire-fighting and salvage roles.

And Eline Muller of Multraship christened MULTRATUG 3 which will mainly operate for Antwerp Towage NV, a 50/50 joint venture between Multraship and Fairplay Towage, but will also be available for emergency response work, including fire-fighting, in the River Scheldt area.

FIVE OCEANS SALVAGE

Five Oceans Salvage has entered a cooperation agreement with ISU member RESOLVE MARINE for assisting vessels both on the Atlantic and Pacific US Coast and the Gulf of Mexico under the new OPA 90 regulations.

Five Oceans has also formed a Gibraltar-based joint venture (JV), STEELMAC OCEAN SALVAGE – GIBRALTAR, with local salvors STEELMAC MARINE. Under the JV, Five Oceans Salvage will maintain a salvage station in Gibraltar with the tug MED FOS. It will be in cooperation with the Gibraltar Authorities and holds a licence for underwater, repair and STS operations within Gibraltarian waters.

Five Oceans reports that a significant amount of work has been performed by the joint venture locally so far including stand-by and emergency towage services to vessels in the region under the directions of the authorities.

Five Oceans tug CARIBBEAN FOS, 9,000bhp and 110 tons bollard pull, is now flying the Greek flag and is capable of rendering salvage services within Greek territorial waters. The change of flag was followed by a series of jobs for the tug within Greece (see story P10).

TSAVLIRIS

For the sixth consecutive year, Tsavliris presented the “Seafarer of the Year” Award at the 7th Annual Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards 2010. Ms Mariela Tsavliris, daughter of ISU vice president, Andreas Tsavliris, presented the award. In her speech she noted that the award was especially significant as the awards relate to the International Maritime Organisation’s “International Year of the Seafarer”. It highlights the vital service that shipping provides and its benefits to society in the face of physical risks, criminalization and piracy. The award went to Captain Dimitrios Nezos, of bulker ANANGEL PRIDE, which rescued eight fishermen off the Philippines last July in a typhoon.

MULTRATUG christening ceremony

Mariela Tsavliris (right) presents the award to the winner's wife, Mrs Nezos

Captain Rich Habib

ASSOCIATES’ NEWSROUND

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Heavy transport specialist Dockwise announced full year results for 2010. Revenues of USD 439 million (2009: 491 million adjusted); adjusted EBITDA of USD 176 million (2009: USD 223 million); operating margin of 40% (2009: 45%); adjusted net profit of USD 37 million (2009: 63 million).

It also announced that it has appointed Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) of Korea to build its ultra large transport vessel (artist's impressions above), to be delivered during the last quarter of 2012.

The new vessel has been categorized "Type 0" (T-0) to reflect its exceptional size. With an overall deck size of 275 x 70 meters, and a revolutionary bowless design, the new vessel will have a carrying capacity of more than 110,000 tons. It will be the first of its kind in service.

The total cost of the vessel including all project and design costs, is expected to be approximately USD 240 million.

Shipowners P&I Club

Shipowners Club is spearheading a new simulator-based training initiative to create awareness of potential operational dangers and to reduce claims resulting from damage to tug and tow sets.

The two-day Tug and Tow Handling Simulator Course originated in Singapore following a rise in incidents.

The exercises simulate real situations within the Singapore Straits including real-time engine failures, overtaking and crossing traffic, collision situations, and the role of Singapore VTS (Vessel Traffic Services).

For further information visit www.smf.com.sg and follow the Special Events link or visit www.shipownersclub.com/newsevents/eventscalendar

New Associate Members

The ISU welcomes the following new Associate Members:

DISA Maritime BVBA

Ketelaarstraat 5c, 2340 Beerse, Belgium. +32 14 62 04 11

[email protected]

Steel Mac Limited

Unit 27, New Harbours, PO Box 764, Gibraltar, GB1 1ZZ. +350 200 74221

[email protected]

The American Salvage Association

The American Salvage Association (ASA) and the North American Marine Environmental Protection Association (NAMEPA) have announced an expanded programme for their co-sponsored conference, “Wrecks of the World: Hidden Risks of the Deep (WOW) II”. It will be held 06-07 June 2011 at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) in the Washington DC area (Linthicum Heights, MD) USA.

The conference will explore pollution, impact modeling, risk assessment, oil removal and remediation, the environment, legal, insurance and funding issues relating to the more than 8,500 sunken vessels in the world, many of them World War II-era. The program is being finalized, further details will be available on the ASA and NAMEPA websites at www.americansalvage.org and www.namepa.net

Dockwise

Save Our Seafarers Campaign

ISU associate members Intertanko and Bimco have joined with other shipping organisations to launch a new campaign calling on governments to crack down harder on the growing threat of piracy.

The SOS (Save Our Seafarers) campaign aims to encourage millions of ordinary citizens to press their governments to show the political will to resolve the Somali piracy crisis.

The extension of the pirates’ operating area right across the Indian Ocean means that there are now no alternative routes to avoid the Somali pirate gangs, especially for tankers coming out of the Gulf.

Merchant ships are being attacked daily and more than 800 seafarers are currently held hostage on their hijacked ships.

Campaign leaders accused governments of being unwilling to “face reality and act.”

As part of the campaign, hard-hitting advertisements have been placed in major international newspapers. The campaign makes six specific requests of governments.

• Reducing the effectiveness of the easily-identifiable pirate motherships.

• Increasing naval assets available in this area.

• Fully criminalising all acts of piracy and intent to commit piracy under national laws in accordance with their mandatory duty to co-operate to suppress piracy under international conventions.

• Providing greater protection and support for seafarers.

• Tracing and criminalising the organisers and financiers behind the criminal networks.

• Authorising naval forces to detain pirates and deliver them for prosecution and punishment.

A new website for the SOS Save Our Seafarers campaign is at http://www.saveourseafarers.com

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The results of the ISU’s annual Pollution Prevention Survey for 2010 show a significant decrease in the tonnages of pollutants salved by ISU members compared with 2009. There was a corresponding fall in the number of salvage services performed by members of the ISU.

The total of all pollutants salved in 2010 was 574,386 tonnes compared with 2009’s total of 1,018,872 tonnes. It is a fall of 44%.

In 2010, the major changes were a significant decrease in the quantity of crude oil salved – down 74% from 743,506 tonnes in 2009 to 195,300 tonnes. However the figure for 2009 was larger than is typical due to salvage services provided by ISU members to two large tankers.

Similarly, the volume of chemical cargoes salved fell 71% to 32,561from 2009’s 112,740. The category of “other pollutants” also showed a significant rise - 309% up from 62,853 tonnes in 2009 to 257,158 tonnes in 2010. This is explained by salvage services provided to two vessels carrying large cargoes totalling 170,000 tonnes of kerosene.

Pollution Prevention Survey 2010 – Results

2009 2010 % variation

Number of services 204 166 -19% Crude oil salved 743,506 195,300 -74% Bunker fuel salved 99,753 89,367 -10% Chemicals salved 112,740 32,561 -71 Other pollutants 62,853 257,158 +309%Totals 1,018,872 574,386 -44%

All figures in tonnes

The Lloyd’s Open Form salvage contract continued to be the most widely used contract with 57 services (56 in 2009). The number of wreck removals was down 2 to 9. Four other salvage contracts were used and 96 services were carried out on a fixed price basis, 34 down from 2009.

A total of 27 casualties needed to be lightened of all or some of their pollutants by ship to ship transfer, a 50% increase on 2009.

Commenting on the results, ISU President, Todd Busch, said: “These numbers show how variable our industry is year on year. They also show how provision of salvage services to casualties carrying large quantities of crude oil can dramatically increase the figures - as they did in 2009.

Pollution Prevention Trends (million tonnes) 2010 Pollution Prevention Results

2010 Total pollutants recovered: 574,386 tonnes (1,022.730 tonnes in 2009)

Total 574,386 tonnes 166 salvage operations

Exxon Valdez Spill: 37,000 tonnes (1989)

16,550,683 tonnes of potential pollutants recovered 1994 - 2010

“Even though the numbers are generally well down on the previous year, our members’ work has yet again helped to prevent serious and damaging marine pollution. While not every vessel salved was a real threat to the environment, there can be no doubt that our members’ services to vessels carrying over 500,000 tonnes of potential pollutants were of benefit to the environment. And, to give some context, during the same year the US administration estimated that some 700,000 tonnes of oil was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico in its worst environmental disaster.”

The ISU’s Pollution Prevention Survey began in 1994. In the 16 years to end-2010, ISU salvors have recovered 16,550,683 tonnes of potential pollutants, an average of over one million tonnes per year.

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ISU PHOTOGRAPH COMPETITION 2011

Shortlisted entries

1. Crete Cement operations – Smit

2. Refloating RoRo Hayat – ARAS

3. Waiting for “gas clear” signal – Smit

4. Salvage of a dredger – CRS

5. Oil cleanup – Smit

6. A boy rescued at sea – CRS

7. Selandang Ayu – Smit

8. Broken-backed Elli - Five Oceans Salvage

9. Salvage of a fishing boat – CRS

10. Wreck removal of Dimitrios – ARAS 1

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3

4

56

7

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89

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Winning entry: Salvage of the MV WESTERN by Don Elsman of ITC

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ARAS Salvage has successfully completed the opeation to remove the pollutants from MV MEDY, which sank off Constantza in September 2010. She was lying in 37 metres' water depth.

9 ARAS divers were assigned for the operation and worked from the salvage tug PEHLIVAN-2 moored over the wreck.

The tug was used both as a dive platform and as a store for the pollutants. Divers encountered rough seas, freezing cold, strong currents and nil visibility during all stages of the operation.

On completion of the operation, ARAS Salvage was awarded a “Certificate of Excellence” from the Romanian Diving Community in recognition of the efforts

Society for Underwater TechnologyThe Society for Underwater Technology’s Salvage & Decommissioning Committee has established plans for engagement between the salvage industry and the oil and gas sector in 2011.

It comes after a successful conference in December 2010 at which papers were presented and opportunities and challenges were identified. It was overwhelmingly accepted that salvors have key skills and equipment applicable to the removal of many oil and gas installations, worldwide.

There is a large and growing global market for decommissioning and cost-effective, innovative solutions will bring competitive advantage. But challenges centre on the reluctance of platform operators to contract outside their normal supply chain and their desire to use the same formalised contracts for what is essentially offshore demolition, as would be used for construction, operation and maintenance. So-called “cultural” differences between oil and gas and salvage need to be addressed.

The committee has therefore decided to take a three-pronged approach:

The discussion document, 'Developing a Consistent, Cross-Sector Approach

for Assessing the Impact of Man-Made Objects, Materials and Substances (MMOMS) on the Marine Environment', will shortly enter a second, more detailed phase when its strategic ideas will be divided into the more specific, practically orientated themes of cutting, lifting, underwater visualisation and liability.

A series of technical meetings are planned during the year and ISU members who wish to showcase their capability should contact ISU General Manager, John Noble, who maintains the ISU’s links with SUT.

On the “cultural”’ front, the Salvage & Decommissioning Committee has a role to play as a catalyst for developing more realistic contracts based on the suite of existing wreck removal agreements. This is an initiative being actively undertaken by both parties.

As a learned society, the Society for Underwater Technology depends on both the enthusiasm and financial support of its members in order to promote both education and the dissemination of information. Corporate membership, combined with active engagement brings most benefit and is open to all salvage companies. For further information, please contact [email protected]

shown to recover the bodies of two Romanian divers from inside the wreck.

POSH Semco refloatation jobIn April 2010, a floating dock measuring 158 m x 30.2 m x 7 m and about 4,000 dwt broke in two and sank alongside a shipyard in 15 metres of water. The sunken dock's deck was covered with large quantities of mud.

POSH Semco took over the contract in December 2010 after unsuccessful attempts to refloat the dock.

63 days were spent in preparation including underwater repairs to bulkheads, cutting and patching and carefully planned stages of dewatering operations.

The forward section was successfully refloated on 18 February (below) and redelivered to its owners at a shipyard in southern Singapore. Preparations are underway for the refloating of the aft section.

ARAS Salvage in pollution recovery operation

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Mammoet Salvage has been given the job of the salvage of 70 shipwrecks in Nouadhibou Bay, Mauretania. The European Union has made euro 28.8 million available for removing the wrecks. The operation is set to start in April 2011 and will run for 22 months.

Environmental protection was a key criterion in selecting the winning contractor and Mammoet Salvage bid against 11 other international salvage companies on the African project. Mammoet will commit 25 salvage personnel and a range of equipment to the job.

Nouadhibou Bay (right, above) has an average water depth of 10 metres and is a busy area used by industrial shipping and fishing vessels. The shipwrecks, which range from 200 to 1,200 tons, create obstacles and hazards to shipping. The presence of the wrecks means shipping has dropped off greatly in recent years with an adverse economic and social impact.

Mammoet to tackle ship graveyard in MauretaniaThe wrecks also pose a hazard to the environment and their surroundings from physical and chemical contamination as they typically contain oil residues, insulation materials, asbestos and so on.

On completion, the area will be returned to its original state allowing nature to develop fully. The accessibility of the port will also be greatly improved.

On the other side of the world, Mammoet completed the salvage of the CABO DE HORNOS (right, below). The new building research vessel had been preparing for launch just before last year’s earthquake in Chile. The Tsunami washed the vessel ashore on the other side of the shipyard.

Mammoet used its highly mobile and heavy lift-capable self propelled modular trailers (SPMTs) to pick up the vessel and move it to a barge moored in a drydock on site before floating it free of the barge.

The total load was some 2000 tonnes but the vessel was stranded on soft sand and so extensive excavation and civil engineering was required to provide a safe roadway to the dry dock.

TSAVLIRIS updateTSAVLIRIS’ Piraeus-stationed salvage tug MEGAS ALEXANDROS assisted MV MEDEA K, 16,644 dwt, in late November 2010. The freighter had sustained sudden ingress of seawater in the engine room, at Kynossoura, Salamina Island.

Salvage services including dewatering/sealing the engine room, dewatering cargo holds, removing oily water and re-stowing part of the deck cargo using a floating crane were performed.

TSAVLIRIS was contracted on 04 January to salvage the bulker MOONDANCE II, 56,131 dwt, laden with 51,000 tonnes of coal. The vessel went aground approximately 25 miles off the coast of East Kalimatan, NE Borneo, on the south eastern edge of Karang Malalungan coral reef.

A salvage team was dispatched from Holland and Greece consisting of a salvage master, salvage officer, salvage engineers, naval architects, divers and riggers.

Lightening operations commenced on 26h January 2011, using three chartered barges. The vessel was successfully

refloated on 30 January after lightening about 8,000 tonnes of cargo. To achieve this nearly 20,000 tonnes of coal had to be “cascaded” from cargo hold to cargo hold. There were no incidents or pollution.

Reloading of the cargo from the lightening barges back onto the casualty commenced soon after and the MOONDANCE II was safely delivered to her owners on 2 February. TSAVLIRIS said it was a “major salvage operation.”

INTERNATIONAL MONITOR

New pilotage standards

There is a new international accreditation scheme for maritime pilots. The International Standard for Maritime Pilot Organisations (ISPO) has been created by pilot organisations in major ports in conjunction with Lloyd's Register. Ports throughout the world are working to adopt the ISPO Code.

ISPO introduces an internationally-agreed standard which is transparent to all customers - including ship managers, masters, owners, oil majors and port operators. The scheme is specific and relevant to pilotage.

The initiative has been welcomed by InterManager whose Secretary General, Captain Kuba Szymanski said: “We believe it is essential to have international standards to ensure that worldwide excellence is promoted for pilot organisations. This initiative will be well-received by the industry which has long recognised the need for pilotage standards."

United States of America

The Oil Pollution Act 1990 (OPA90) Salvage and Marine Firefighting Regulations (SMFF), 33 Code of Federal Regulations Part 155 Subpart I, for tank vessels, came into effect on February 22, 2011.

The American Salvage Association President Mauricio Garrido paid tribute to the US Coast Guard’s efforts to finalize implementation of what he called the “challenging yet critically important regulations that will improve safety at sea and protect both human life and the environment in the case of maritime disasters.”

He added: “It is now up to the Coast Guard to ensure that the intent of the salvage regulations is adhered to by uniformly enforcing them throughout US waters.”

ASA said its members should be credited for their work in assisting the Coast Guard to develop the regulations and in providing guidance to ensure vessel response plans identify and contract for appropriate salvage and marine firefighting resources. ASA said salvage regulations for non-tank vessels are still needed.

International Maritime Organisation

Director General of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, Rear Admiral Peter Brady (below), has been re-elected as chairman of the Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW) sub-committee at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

He was re-elected for the eighth time as STW Chairman for 2012 at the recently-held 42nd session of the STW sub-committee which was attended by over 400 delegates from member states party to the STW Convention as well as associate members, intergovernmental organisations and NGOs.

Finland and Russia

In early March more than 100 vessels were reported awaiting icebreaker assistance in the eastern Gulf of Finland, according to the Port of St Petersburg. Some 12 icebreakers were in action and a further two nuclear powered breakers were being diverted from other areas to assist. Finnish ISU member Alfons Hakans said conditions have been unusually severe this winter in the eastern Baltic.

United Kingdom

Stena Line confirmed it is to introduce two new superfast ferries on its service between Scotland and Northern Ireland in autumn 2011. It will coincide with the opening of its new £8Om Loch Ryan Port at Cairnryan. The superfast vessels will carry passenger and freight traffic. Each ship can carry up to 1200 passengers, 660 cars or 110 freight vehicles. Journey time from Scotland to central Belfast will be 2 hours 15 minutes at 27 knots.

Liberia

The Liberian-flagged fleet showed record growth figures in 2010 and has now doubled in size in the ten years since the management of the Liberian Registry was assumed by the US-based Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR). Its ship numbers have reached 3,500.

The Liberian-flag fleet was boosted by 586 new registrations last year. Of these, 149 were newbuildings. Net growth was 338 vessels, totaling 13.6m gross tonnes.

The average age of the new registrations was 5.46 years, compared to the 17.32 average age of those vessels removed from the registry. The average age of the Liberian-flag fleet is now 12 years.

Scott Bergeron, Chief Operating Officer of LISCR, said: “Throughout the course of this rapid expansion, Liberia’s Port State Control performance and its safety record with all independent rating bodies has been outstanding.”

Liberia passed the 3,500-vessel mark with the registration of the 319,000 dwt oil/ore carrier C WHALE, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea to Lloyd’s Register class for operation by Today Makes Tomorrow (TMT) Shipping of Taiwan.

Bangladesh

Legal wrangling has continued over Bangladesh’s controversial ship breaking industry.

Temporary permission was granted to continue to import ships carrying toxic waste to the beaches of Chittagong.

Environmental lawyers said the industry is dangerous, dirty and poorly regulated. But the ship breakers said it provides employment and produces huge amounts of steel for Bangladesh.

Commentators said the number of vessels scrapped in Bangladesh will dramatically increase over coming years as the European Union completes the phasing out of some 2000 single hull tankers.

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SMIT up the Orinoco In late January the Bahamian registered bulk carrier GDANSK, laden with 36,000 tonnes of iron ore ran aground at km 184 of the Orinoco River in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

Due to prolonged drought conditions the casualty had run onto an underwater rock structure resulting in a 70 metre gash in her double bottom, breaching multiple tanks and resulting in fuel oil being spilled into the river.

An immediate response to lighter the remaining fuel oil was ordered by local authorities. SMIT Salvage, with local partners Terminales Maracaibo and Maritima Ordaz, as well as resources from Rotterdam and Houston were dispatched to support the Venezuelan effort.

The operation involved lightering 21,000 tonnes of iron ore, along with an estimated 400 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and proved to be challenging. After lightering the GDANSK was refloated and delivered her to her owners.

awarded the LOF and mobilised its local salvage master and a diving team from Namibia was engaged to assist, together with a salvage team from Greece. Part of the cargo was lightered using local assets and the vessel was successfully refloated with the assistance of subcontracted tug IMKENTURM. The salvors temporarily repaired the casualty’s bottom damage, made her watertight and redelivered her to the owners in late December at Luanda anchorage.

The bulker GEORGETE K, 35,000 dwt, in ballast ran aground at Alexandria on 12 December 2010. Five Oceans Salvage signed a LOF and sent the newly Greek-flagged CARIBBEAN FOS (above left) from Piraeus together with the anti-pollution vessel AEGIS and a salvage team. The salvors invoked SCOPIC and the the casualty was refloated, towed to Piraeus and redelivered to her owners on 28th December 2010. The same tug performed a number of other operations in the Greek islands last autumn.

Knighthood for Multraship’s Kees MullerKees Muller of Multraship has received a knighthood from Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in recognition of his contribution over many years to promoting the maritime sector in general and Multraship and the port of Terneuzen in particular. The award also recognises his charitable work.

Kees (Cornelis Levinus) Muller received his decoration as a Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau from Jan Lonink, Mayor of Terneuzen, in February during the christening celebrations for Multraship’s two latest tugs (see Members’ News).

The Royal Order is traditionally bestowed on the official birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands, but an exception was made on this occasion to mark Kees’s 50th anniversary in the industry.

Multraship managing director Leendert Muller said: “We are all delighted that my father has been recognised in this way, which is also an acknowledgement of the achievements of Multraship and of the Muller family, which has been involved in the towage and salvage sector now for over a hundred years.”

In October 2010, the MT IOS, 4,600 dwt, in ballast, was immobilised in the Indian Ocean with main engine failure, during her maiden trip from Singapore to Jamaica.

Five Oceans Salvage signed a LOF with the owners and mobilized the tug MAHA OYA from Colombo and the salvor’s own AHTS CORAL SEA FOS from Singapore to assist. On arrival at the casualty

MAHA OYA started towing her towards Singapore until making a rendezvous with the CORAL SEA FOS when the tow was handed over. The casualty was redelivered to her owners in Singapore.

In late November 2010, the bulker MARILLION, 41,796 dwt, ran aground off Lobito Port, Angola. The vessel was laden with 39,500 tonnes of bagged cement. Five Oceans Salvage was

Five Oceans Salvage operations

Bulker GDANSK being refloated Photo: SMIT

Kees and Heleen Muller

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Multraship has salvaged the fishing trawler NIEURPOORT 28 which capsized off Dunkirk on 01 March

The trawler capsized twenty miles off the French/Belgian coast. It was upside-down in the water and the French and Belgian Coastguards mounted a search and rescue operation during which Navy divers searched the vessel but were unable to find any of the three crew members - two brothers and their brother-in-law - from the close-knit Zeeland fishing community.

MULTRASHIP mobilised its MULTRATUG 18, which pumped air into the trawler to keep it afloat. The initial plan had been to tow the trawler to shallow water near Flushing to parbuckle it with the recently upgraded floating sheerlegs CORMORANT. But the Belgian authorities would not allow the capsized-but-floating tow into its waters and the CORMORANT was mobilised to the site of the casualty.

The trawler was parbuckled and pumped dry but a search failed to locate the missing crew members.

Bad weather meant it was not possible to get the trawler out of the slings and move the CORMORANT. It was decided to wait for better weather before transporting the trawler to Flushing in the CORMORANT’s slings, under tow by MULTRATUG 18. After removing the trawler from the slings she was towed to Multraship’s home port of Terneuzen and redelivered to her owners. An investigation into the cause of the accident is currently under way.

Multraship had a team of approximately

forty people working on the salvage operation. Its managing director Leendert Muller said: “This was a challenging job, successfully completed, but our sympathies, of course, lie with the families of the missing crew members.

“The CORMORANT is stationed in the Flushing/River Scheldt area, and we have only recently fitted a new A-frame and upgraded it to 600 tons lifting capacity. It certainly proved its worth on this occasion.”

Multraship uses floating sheerlegs to salvage fishing trawler off Dunkirk

ISU Associate Members' Day 2011