| More Headlines |
 |
| Tanker News |
|
|
|
Consequences of the Deepwater Horizon oil leakage
|
| Published: |
15 May 2010 16:26
|
| Updated: |
31 July 2010 09:07
|
A number of websites have been established to provide the latest information on the location and projection for the location of the oil spill, information on the response measures taken and other information that may be of use to the parties involved and ships and shipmasters operating in the area. The web links are:
The National Incident Command (NIC) issued a
news release
stating that it launched a new web portal
RestoreTheGulf.gov
BP page on the oil spill:
Dedicated to providing clear and accessible information and resources related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response and recovery.
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=40&contentId=7061813
Decontamination stations (coordinates)
Vessel Decontamination Stations Available Around Louisiana
Phone numbers
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
U.S. Gulf ports executive summary no. 54 provided by United States Coast Guard HQ - 30 July 2010
Linked here is MTS executive summary 54
There have been no changes in the MTS since the last summary. All Ports and Waterways remain OPEN.
The below points were reported by executive summary no. 10 which the later ones are based on.
Sector New Orleans has provided this following guidance for those vessels requiring Hull decontamination:
"No deep draft vessels have required cleaning prior to entering the Lower Mississippi River. However, in the event that cleaning is needed, use the attached “Self Assessment Vessel Reporting Form” to notify Sector New Orleans that cleaning is taking place. Only if you have visible oil that is creating a sheen on the water, should you fill this form out and proceed to a cleaning station. Email the completed form to pscnola@uscg.mil or fax to (504) 219-2730.
Vessel cleaning stations are intended for those vessels which are sheening, and must be cleaned. Vessels wishing to be cleaned, but do not meet these criteria, should coordinate their own cleaning and seek reimbursement through the BP claims process. Cleaning stations are available at the following locations:
1. Offshore in Mississippi Canyon at latitude 28-17’ N and longitude 088-42’W. Vessels are required to contact the decon station when 10NM away if they intend to stop by hailing the cleaning station on VHF-FM Channel 16 (MSIB 93).
2. Approaching the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy at latitude 28-48’00.00”N and longitude 089-26’30” W. Cleaning will be coordinated via the pilot on board. Non-piloted vessels can arrange cleaning by contacting the decon station on VHF-FM Channel 16. This station conducts gross decontamination after which the vessel will proceed to cleaning station located in Southwest Pass (MSIB 90).
3. Southwest Pass moving cleaning station from MM 17.5 BHP (Light “6”) and MM 10 BHP (Light “18”). Cleaning operations will be coordinated via the pilot on board (MSIB 90).
4. At Boothville, LA in the vicinity of Fort Jackson (approximately MM 20). This station is intended for only those vessels which have been heavily oiled and will be coordinated via the pilot on board. Lightly oiled vessels which have been cleaned in Southwest Pass and are no longer sheening are not required to stop at this cleaning station (MSIB 90).
5. The GIWW at approximately MM 34 EHL in the vicinity of Rabbit Island. This is a portable cleaning station and mariners are encouraged to stop at a location in that general area that they feel is safe for vessel cleaning operations and can be contacted at VHF-FM Channel 16 (MSIB 90)."
In addition, the following information was released by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
Contact: Teri Frady
(508) 495-2239
ROBERT, La. - NOAA has begun work to survey a new ship anchorage site at the mouth of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico for ships to undergo inspection and oil decontamination before entering ports.
The contract magnetometer survey of a proposed alternate anchorage site would ensure the safety of ships, their crew, and the marine environment by making sure that there are no buried pipelines in the proposed area that would be ruptured by ships lowering their anchors. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey is working with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy to establish the alternative anchorage area.
Keeping maritime commerce going is important to many businesses, such as farmers who need to export their crops through the Gulf ports and the millions of stores throughout the country that rely on a constant flow of imports.
The survey will take place at the Southwest Pass, the primary deep draft entrance to the Mississippi, which is used extensively by ships bringing commercial goods to the U.S. The Lower Mississippi River ports are important players in the billion-dollar U.S. maritime economy.
Once the area is surveyed and the U.S. Coast Guard gives clearance, ships needing hull inspections for oil contamination from the ongoing spill could use this anchorage area for waiting.
So that work can start immediately, NOAA awarded the task order to C&C Technologies of Lafayette, La., under the agency’s existing hydrographic services contract. The team from C&C Technologies will deploy aboard a vessel under the command of the Naval Oceanographic Office. The results should be provided to the U.S. Coast Guard by June 1 at the latest, and possibly earlier. NOAA will update its navigational products based on the results of this survey and the Coast Guard's determination of the area's suitability as an anchorage location.
The Lower Mississippi River ports export over 50 million metric tons of corn, soybeans and wheat each year, more than 55 percent of all U.S. grains inspected for shipment. Grain market participants and Midwestern farmers need efficient port operations to export product, as do segments of the economy that rely on timely import arrivals. NOAA's work in ensuring efficient maritime transportation during this ecological crisis is key to a healthy U.S. economy.
NOAA is also developing new chart products for Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill response. While NOAA’s nautical charts are essential for safe navigation throughout the oil spill region, the agency continues to respond to specific charting requests that meet response needs. NOAA cartographers are supplying coastline contour data – depicting underwater surfaces – needed for planning boom placement. NOAA is also producing special nautical charts depicting points for water testing.
Ryan F. Owens
Chief, Industry Outreach Branch
Domestic Ports Division (CG-5441)
United States Coast Guard HQ
Tel (202) 372-1108
Cell (202) 302-6565
Fax (202)372-1905
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LMR – vessel cleaning stations - 6 May 2010
The US Coast Guard issued a bulletin advising that vessel cleaning stations have been established on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) near “The Jump” at Venice, Louisiana and at Boothville in the vicinity of Fort Jackson. Arriving vessels should proceed to one of the cleaning stations if there is a visible sheen emanating from the ship’s hull. (5/2/10).
Source: Bryant’s Maritime Consulting
The linked USCG bulletin gives the coordinates for a number of offshore decontamination anchorage sites (cleaning stations)
Linked here is the vessel reporting form
Linked here is the vessel assessment protocol
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Cascading of OSRO resources in support of U.S. Gulf oil spill - 5 May 2010
The unprecedented oil spill response going on in the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon disaster is taking over regional oil spill response capability. Questions have been asked as to how this affects ships arriving in areas whose response unit is out of position while giving disaster assistance.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has now issued a notice stating that a large quantity of oil spill response resources have been diverted for involvement in the response to the Deepwater Horizon/Mississippi Canyon 252 oil spill. Most of those resources are from various Captain of the Port (COTP) zones on the Gulf of Mexico.
For instance, currently, Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) has eight Responder Class vessels away from their normal home ports and actively involved in skimming operations near the incident site. This includes three of MSRC’s off-shore barges for lightering the Responder Class vessels and both of its dispersant programme aircraft, the C130 and the King Air 90.
As discussed in the notice, the major oil spill removal organizations (OSROs) notified the USCG when they diverted resources to respond to the recent spill. They have submitted cascade plans to the USCG explaining how they will backfill for those diverted resources in the event of a worse case discharge (WCD) or maximum most probable discharge (MMPD) within the affected zones.
Requests have been made to the USCG for the necessary waivers to allow commerce to continue. So far, as of Wednesday cob London, Captains of the Ports of Houston/Galveston and Port Arthur have NOT granted waivers but will review on a case by case basis individual plan holder requests. Waivers are pending from others. We understand that waivers are likely to be granted, recognising that the resources in use could be reallocated if warranted.
Spill response plan holders (vessel and facility), though, are responsible for ensuring that the OSRO(s) designated in their plans are capable of responding to covered discharges.
For those who want continually updated and detailed information concerning the Deepwater Horizon/Mississippi Canyon 252 oil spill, the federal government has established at least three websites: (1) Unified Command; (2) NOAA Incident News; and (3) EPA Monitoring.
Source: Bryant’s Maritime Consulting and MSRC Wednesday 5 May 2010
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________