Ultratug and Titan in action after Chilean ‘quake In one of the more unusual operations, TITAN Salvage and Remolcadores Ultratug worked together to safely re-float the MV LAUREL, a 26,800 dwt bulk carrier, which had been in a dry dock undergoing routine maintenance in Talcahuano, Chile in February when an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck. The ‘quake generated two tsunamis which lifted the LAUREL up and out of the dock, thrusting it forward onto the forward end of the dry dock. The ship’s engine and steering gear rooms, as well as its No. 5 cargo hold, flooded as the vessel’s sea valves and manholes were open. ISU members Remolcadores Ultratug and TITAN Salvage worked together to patch the hull; remove the vessel’s propeller and debris which was lying in the bottom of the dry-dock hindering the refloating; discharge the remaining heavy fuel oil and shift some ballast to obtain the correct trim. The team also fabricated a custom built 17 ton jacking plate on site and placed it under the bow, along with four, 14 metre rubber air bags to serve as jacks when inflated. With several hundred tons of ground reaction on the bow, the LAUREL’s bow was lifted off the dry dock wall and she was gently eased back into the water with Ultratug’s powerful tugboats. The LAUREL, the dry dock and a 380 ton caisson door, which was precariously positioned beneath the casualty’s bow, suffered no structural damage.
Ex-arbitrators in dispute with Lloyd’s The former Lloyd’s Open Form (LOF) Appeal Arbitrator, John Reeder, QC, and the first instance Arbitrator, Belinda Bucknall, QC, have issued proceedings in the High Court in London against Lloyd’s. It follows last year’s shake up of the system underpinning the LOF.
Remolcadores Ultratug operates in and between all the major ports along the Chilean, Peruvian and Ecuadorian coasts in the Pacific and along the Argentine and Brazilian coasts in the
Atlantic.TITAN, a wholly owned Crowley subsidiary, has performed over 350 salvage and wreck removal projects since 1980.
The changes saw the existing panel of arbitrators and appeal arbitrator dissolved. The new panel did not include Mr Reeder or Ms Bucknall who had applied to be on it.
in the claim”.
The claim against Lloyd’s is for breach of contract and damage to the reputations of the two barristers. Lloyd’s said it is “resisting the claim and does not accept much of what appears 1
The issue has generated significant coverage in the shipping media. ISU will not comment on the legal action which is a matter for the parties involved but said that its members continue to have confidence in LOF, which works well, and in the new panel of arbitrators.
ISU NEWS Lloyd’s Open Form user group
SCOPIC rates review
Contacts
The ISU was well represented by Executive Committee members and professional advisers at the Lloyd’s Open Form User Group meeting in June. Issues for discussion included the wording of Guarantees, FCAP security levels and the general administration of the system underpinning LOF. Discussions were reported to be constructive.
ISU has begun the process of discussing the three year tariff rates review with the P&I Clubs. An industrywide sub-committee made up of salvage masters, special casualty representatives (SCRs), representatives from P&I Clubs and ISU has completed its work reviewing the equipment list. In addition to minor changes to the existing Appendix A list, the sub-committee has recommended the inclusion of safety and personal protection equipment in the list.
Headquarters:
Comité Maritime International ISU legal adviser, Archie Bishop, continues to represent the ISU at the influential maritime law body, the Comite Maritime International as it considers revisions to the 1989 Salvage Convention. The group met in London in April and will meet again in October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. ISU is encouraging the CMI to consider the issue of environmental salvage awards. ISU Annual General Meeting The 2010 General Meeting, Nice, France 21-23 September is expected to be well-attended. Members who wish to attend but have not yet registered should urgently contact ISU Secretary General, Mike Lacey.
Discussions with P&I Clubs on rates are at an early stage but it is hoped to present recommendations to the SCOPIC committee on 07 September 2010 and thereafter at the ISU AGM.
Kotug International B.V. “Scheepvaarthuis” Parklaan 2 3016 BB Rotterdam The Netherlands Postal address: Kotug International B.V. P.O. Box 22002 3003 DA ROTTERDAM The Netherlands Email: tkims@kotug.nl Phone: +31 (0) 10 2170217 (24 hours) Fax: +31 (0) 10 2170216 Contact: Mr Paul Vermeulen or Mr Dorus Knegtel
New Member The ISU welcomes Kotug International of Rotterdam as a full member. Kotug has several rescue/salvage tugs stationed at locations around the North Sea. Its contacts in the international salvage sector mean that its brokerage activities can also provide world-wide towage and salvage services.
Kotug’s flagship RT Magic
European Maritime Accident Review 2009 The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has published its review of accidents in 2009. The review, which looks at shipping in and around EU waters, shows a 19.5% fall in total accidents and a 17% drop in the number of ships involved in accidents in 2009 compared to the boom years of 2007 and 2008. The figure was still significantly - 17% higher than in 2006. The figures also show that loss of life and pollution were substantially reduced. However, EMSA urged caution in making assumptions that the downward trend will continue. It says an early look at 2010 figures suggests that accident figures are already beginning to increase again as shipping levels recover.
“The Maritime Accident Review gives an opportunity to look at accidents and to assess whether measures taken to improve maritime safety are having an effect,” says EMSA Executive Director Willem de Ruiter. “The positive news is that, while the global economic crisis can be seen as a ‘commercial cloud’ for shipping, it has a silver lining in terms of maritime safety. The latest review recorded a significant reduction in shipping accidents, lives lost and pollution last year. However, with ship traffic and the associated commercial pressures on the increase once more, we cannot afford to let our guard down at any time.” In 2009, 626 vessels were involved in 540 accidents (sinkings, collisions, groundings, fires/explosions and other significant incidents) in and around EU waters. This compares with 754 vessels in 670 accidents in 2008, 762 in 2
715 accidents in 2007 and 535 in 505 accidents during 2006. The estimate of the amount of oil spilled in reported accidents in and around EU waters reduced to 1500-2000 tonnes, compared with 2000-3000 tonnes in 2008 and 7000-8000 tonnes in 2007. In addition, figures from the EMSA CleanSeaNet satellite-based pollution monitoring system show that the number of pollution incidents confirmed after verifications by Member States was down from 232 in 2008 to 194 in 2009. EMSA suggests these figures show that measures aimed at improving the pollution record of shipping are having an effect. Europe has not recorded a major oil spill on the scale of the Erika (1999) or Prestige (2002) disasters for almost a decade, but EMSA noted the continued need for a high level of readiness.
Deepwater Horizon The explosion and fire on the DEEPWATER HORIZON drilling rig in the US Gulf of Mexico in April tragically led to the loss of eleven lives. It has also led to the worst oilrelated environmental disaster in the US. And it has become one the most visible and widely reported incidents. The drilling rig, owned by Transocean, was on contract to BP drilling in ultra deep water. It is thought that the blow out preventer failed on what was reported to be a challenging well. Estimates have varied but it is suggested that some 200,000 tonnes of crude oil has escaped from the uncapped well. Initial efforts to contain the flow of escaping oil met with limited success and the lengthy process of drilling a relief well is underway. A clean-up and shore protection effort on an unprecedented scale is in progress with countless miles of boom and absorbent material laid and skimmers in operation. Subcontractors have included US salvors. Enquiries and investigations at the highest level will in due course uncover details of how the incident occurred.
Booming operations along the sensitive Gulf Coast following the Deepwater Horizon disaster (above). Much criticised BP Chief Executive, Tony Hayward (right, seated) in the incident response centre.
Most commentators expect the incident to lead to significant change to the US regulatory regime for the offshore energy sector and with implications and impacts for the wider marine and shipping sector.
Editorial comment At time of publication, the DEEPWATER HORIZON incident is “ongoing” and hasty judgement without full knowledge of the facts is not wise. Nevertheless, the incident demonstrates manifestly how the expansion of electronic media and speed of communications means that any major environmental incident will be played out, in real time, in front of the general public and their political leaders. The actions of responsible parties and responders will be immediately visible and subject to the most critical scrutiny in a way hitherto unimagined. Even the largest and most well-resourced institutions - both commercial and state - can be stretched to breaking point by the twin demands of the response effort and public hostility. It means that the “emotional” response is as important as the “engineering” response. Poor communication will exacerbate the incident, undermining credibility and confidence in those charged with leading the response. Events in the Gulf of Mexico in the summer of 2010 are a salutary reminder that our consumption of hydrocarbon-based energy cannot be without risk to the environment. And that the potential for catastrophic accidents is ever present despite a seemingly steady improvement in safety and operating standards over recent decades. It confirms that all territories, but particularly those that host offshore operations and frequent tanker movements, need access to committed, capable and well-resourced responders and the salvage industry can, and should, be a central part of that preparedness globally. We are all reminded that industrial accidents can and do happen and that best endeavours may still not be enough to win hearts and minds. 3
Gulf of Guinea fire Five Oceans Salvage reports the case of the tanker ATTALYA, 47,000 dwt, which caught fire while in ballast at anchor in Cotonou, Benin. A LOF with Scopic was signed with Five Oceans Salvage and the salvors mobilized their CARIBBEAN FOS from Douala together with the chartered salvage tug, GUARDIAN from Lome, Togo, to assist. The fire was extinguished four days later by the combined firefighting efforts of the two tugs. The casualty was then towed to Togo where she was redelivered to owners. Fire aboard the Attalya.
ASSOCIATES’ NEWSROUND C-MAR
Wikborg Rein
C-Solutions
Graeme Bowles, who was appointed to the panel of SCRs in 2010, has joined the C-MAR Group as its Managing Consultant, Singapore. Graeme will be based at C-MAR’s Singapore office from the beginning of July.
New ISU Associate Member Wikborg Rein has appointed Chris Grieveson as head of its dispute resolution practice in Singapore. It is part of the firm’s continuing expansion of its global English law capability. Grieveson has been involved in handling disputes arising from some of the shipping industry’s major casualties and pollution incidents and will lead a team handling international arbitration and litigation. He joins Wikborg Rein from Ince & Co, where he was a partner in the firm’s Singapore office.
ISU welcomes claims consultancy C-Solutions as a new Associate Member
Dockwise Dockwise has been contracted to assist with BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill. It has deployed its semi-submersible heavy lift vessel MIGHTY SERVANT 3 to the region where it was fitted out with equipment for handling oilsaturated material. This includes long reach excavating equipment and a stern-mounted skimming system. Oil soaked debris will be held in a large containment area on the vessel’s extensive deck.
24hr:
+44 (0) 7747 637 873
+44 (0) 7785 340654
Moore Stephens
Young Shipping Professionals’ Event, Piraeus, Greece. Seen from left in front of Tsavliris’ salvage tug Megas Alexandros: Maria Stavropoulou, Alexander G Tsavliris, Mira Milouseva and Captain Antonis Pantelis.
As part of BMT Marine & Offshore Surveys Company “Assault Course” programme, a visit was made by a number of students in April aboard the TSAVLIRIS salvage tug MEGAS ALEXANDROS.
Members of Young Shipping Professionals (YSP) also gathered aboard MEGAS ALEXANDROS for an educational and somewhat alternative event. YSP Greece was established in 2006 to bring together the next
Phone: +44 (0) 1892 854 033
Accountants and shipping industry advisers Moore Stephens has warned shipping companies that they will need to review their UK tonnage tax election International Bunker Industries deadlines, many of which may be about Association (IBIA) to expire, or else risk being forced to exit the tonnage tax regime altogether. Sue IBIA has appointed Bob Lintott, Bill, a tax partner with Moore Stephens managing director-trading for US-based said: “In the UK, tonnage tax elections ISO Bunkers LLC, as vice chairman. He are made for a ten-year period. As will succeed to the chairmanship when the regime was first introduced in the the current chair, Mike Ball, steps down Finance Act 2000, it is likely that many in 2011. of the elections made at that time may now have either expired or be due for Bob Lintott has over forty years experience in the global bunker industry. renewal shortly”. During his career he has purchased, DeepTek traded and marketed bunkers globally. Mike Ball, chairman of IBIA, says, “The Deep water engineering firm Deep board is delighted that Bob has agreed Tek’s Moya Crawford reports that the to step up to this position. His wide Society for Underwater Technology is to experience across the bunker industry hold a seminar on salvage and offshore will be invaluable to IBIA”. installation de-commissioning in London, 16 December 2010. Further details will become available.
TSAVLIRIS’ tug Megas Alexandros hosts events for youth in shipping
It was an opportunity for all involved to gain first hand experience of how a salvage tug is operated. Salvage crew members were on hand to provide an in-depth tour and answer queries.
Email: info@csolutionslimited.com
generation of shipping professionals, predominantly through regular social gatherings.
original and interesting venue for an event.”
YSP Committee Member Chronis Perivolaris of Perivolaris Law firm commented:
Attendees included individuals from the legal community, brokerage firms, P&I Clubs, average adjusters and shipowners.
“As very few young people within our industry have ever set foot on a salvage tug, we thought it would be a very
Tsavliris Salvage Group strongly promotes educational programmes for its own staff.
4
MEMBERS’ NEWS SVITZER SVITZER has placed the first order for two environmentally friendly tugs which incorporate a number of innovative technologies including diesel electric engines and selective catalyst reaction and particlulate filters. It is in line with its target of reducing its CO2 emissions by 1% each year through the years 20082012. Svitzer said it was pleased to be among the pioneers of environmentally-friendly tug design. It accepts that the new ECOtug is a more expensive vessel to build
SMIT shares de-listed buts says that it will be a commercial success and that “going green” makes good business sense. Head of Group New Building, Esben H Grundtvig said: “We were given a clear mandate regarding the ECO-tug: apply the latest technology to minimize emissions. It took us two years to optimize the design and I am happy to say that the ECO-tug will make a real difference. We expect to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 by some 10% and NOx by 70-80%”.
More than 95 % of Smit shares were tendered following the Boskalis public cash offer which therefore became unconditional. As a result of the acquisition of more than 95% of the shares, Boskalis and Smit jointly announced to the holders of Shares that the listing and trading of the shares on NYSE Euronext Amsterdam (Euronext) was terminated in May.
Mammoet In June, Mammoet Salvage flew some 70 members of the wider shipping industry from London to Rotterdam to inspect its dockside facilities.
Mammoet’s Rotterdam yard and offices.
First, guests went on a tour of parts of Rotterdam harbour on the 1950’s salvage tug HOLLAND. Some guests had worked with the tug in earlier parts of their careers and at least one had signed their first LOF in a salvage carried out by the tug. On arrival at the Mammoet yard there was a manoeuverablity and FiFi demonstration by the SHARK from Kotug, Mammoet’s cooperation partner. At the yard, guests saw demonstrations of hot tapping, chain pulling, strand pulling and a range of other lifting,
Bisso and T&T’s new ventures T&T BISSO has announced an exclusive cooperative services agreement with Foss Maritime Company which is based in Seattle and offers a complete range of maritime services and project management to customers across the Pacific Rim, Europe, South America and around the globe. T&T BISSO will use several Foss facilities throughout North America to position lightering and marine firefighting packages as part of the company’s strategy to comply with the United States Coast Guard Salvage and Marine Firefighting Regulations. T&T BISSO is working with Foss to
anti-pollution and safety equipment. After the tour, Mammoet Salvage’s Chief Operating Officer, Patrick van
revise the company’s vessel response plans, listing T&T BISSO as the primary provider to meet the salvage and marine firefighting services requirements under the new regulations. T&T BISSO also announced an exclusive cooperative services agreement with Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response (CISPRI) which is a comprehensive standby oil spill response cooperative based in Nikiski, Alaska, and provides immediate response capability to its member companies. The agreement provides a platform for OPA 90 related salvage, emergency lightering, firefighting and oil spill response services in Alaskan waters. 5
Seumeren and Managing Director, Fokko Ringersma gave speeches during an informal reception in the bar at the top of the eye-catching Bollard head office building.
Separately, T&T MARINE SALVAGE has announced an exclusive cooperative services agreement with OSROCO and UNITEK to provide oil spill response services in Guam, Saipan and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. “With equipment staged in Guam and Saipan, the T&T MARINE-OSROCO-UNITEK alliance offers customers calling on Sector Guam an unparalleled and cost-effective solution to meeting the requirements of OPA 90,” said T&T MARINE Vice President Kevin Teichman.
TSAVLIRIS Salvage busy in the second quarter The salvage tug TSAVLIRIS HELLAS was dispatched in February from her station at Ponta Delgada in the Azores to assist the pallet carrier/ side loader cargo vessel MV MARGIT GORTHON (right), 14,240 dwt, laden with about 10,000 metric tonnes of wood pulp and immobilized about 900 nautical miles North West of Azores, due to ingress of water in her engine room causing a black out. TSAVLIRIS HELLAS encountered adverse weather conditions with gale force winds, high seas and heavy swell of up to 6 metres en route. On arrival, emergency towing lights were installed on board and the tow began towards El Ferrol, North West Spain. The convoy encountered gale force winds, very high seas and heavy swells, resulting in heavy rolling and pitching of the tug and tow and the the steel wire pennant parted. Attempts to reconnect commenced immediately. However, due to prevailing long swells, attempts were aborted. Next day the swell eased, tow connection was re-established and towage to El Ferrol resumed and the convoy arrived safely. In March, the salvage tug TSAVLIRIS UNITY steamed from her Galle, Sri Lanka salvage station to the MT TAXIARCHIS, 85,000 dwt, which was disabled about 120 nautical miles south
of Dondra Head to the south of Sri Lanka. The vessel was safely towed to Galle. In May, TSAVLIRIS undertook a number of emergency tows: the tug MALIKA from Dakar, assisted MV MOUNT ATHOS 6,587 dwt, laden with 4,543 tonnes of raw cane sugar in bulk, disabled about 300 miles north of Dakar and towed her to that port; MEGAS ALEXANDROS towed the disabled MV EAST EXPRESS, 3,126 dwt, laden with 2,149 tonnes of fibre board, from offshore Crete to Piraeus. And the tug REBRAS IGUACU (4,425 BHP, 62 TBP) assisted MV MONICA, 46,667 dwt, laden with 43,500 metric tons of iron ore, that had run aground on mud banks at the mouth of the Amazon River. The tug positioned herself to scour the mud from beneath the ship’s hull on the port side. After a few hours the vessel started swinging and her heading began to change. With the assistance of the tug and the ship’s engine, and under the direction of the Tsavliris Salvage Master, the vessel was successfully refloated, without lightening.
INTERNATIONAL MONITOR United Kingdom A Danish man was killed at UK port, Harwich, in an accident during loading operations of wind turbine blades. The crane from which the object fell was on a jack up barge working on the installation of units for the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm. The UK Health and Safety Executive is investigating. Separately, the Nautical Institute has elected Captain James Robinson, DSM, FNI, Irish Navy (Retd) as its new President. In his inaugural address he highlighted the need for the industry to counter ill-informed comment on shipping casualties by politicians, some media and the general public. The Institute has also revised its
membership rules to allow the admission of those working in support of sea going ships as well as mariners. It means that workers from the offshore sector, port operations, ship management and coastguards will be able to join. Malacca Straits About 2,500 metric tonnes of crude oil leaked out from the ruptured hull of the Malaysian-registered oil tanker, MT BUNGA KELANA 3, after it was in collision with the St Vincent and Grenadines-registered bulk carrier, MV WAILY some 13 km south east of Changi, Singapore in late May. Officials from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia worked with private 6
companies to mitigate the impact of the spill which was mainly contained at sea though it was estimated that 7 km of beaches and rock bunds along Singapore’s east coast were affected by the slick. Liberia THE Liberian Registry is offering tanker owners and operators a Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Management Plan Review and Approval Service to help them achieve compliance with impending IMO legislation governing air pollution. From July 2010 all tankers carrying crude oil must implement and maintain on board an approved ship-specific VOC Plan in order to obtain a MARPOL International Air Pollution Prevention (IAPP) certificate.
BIMCO WRECKHIRE update nears completion Work on the revision of the widelyused WRECKHIRE 99 Daily Hire Marine Services Agreement is making good progress. The new edition is planned for publication towards the end of this year. In early 2009 the International Group of P&I Clubs’ Salvage Sub-committee approached BIMCO with a request to initiate a revision of this well-used agreement. The Clubs felt that although the agreement had served the industry well over the past 10 years, certain amendments were necessary to introduce better cost control and to restore to the contract a more equal balance between the parties. One of the key issues that triggered the initiative was that the nature of wreck removal in respect of legislative and technical requirements has changed significantly in the 10 years since the form was last revised. For example, enhanced environmental concerns often now require the removal of bunkers from a wrecked vessel in advance of, or concurrent with a wreck removal operation. Because of the technical difficulties associated with bunker removal it has become increasingly difficult for insurers to place a cap on costs when faced with an indeterminate period of hire for marine services. In close co-operation with the ISU, BIMCO has formed a specialist Subcommittee to conduct the revision
work. ISU’s Secretary General, Mike Lacey has joined Mark Hoddinott (Titan Salvage) and Reinder Peek (Smit) on the salvors’ side. The Clubs are represented by Michael Kelleher (West of England); Jonathan Hare (Skuld) and Hugh Hurst (International Group). Legal expertise is provided by Dominic Johnson (Holman Fenwick Willan) with owners represented by Donald Chard (UK Chamber of Shipping). Some of the new features of, and improvements to, WRECKHIRE are: • The introduction of a bonus incentive scheme. If the contractors complete the project within a specified period they will receive an agreed bonus. If the work is not completed until after the specified period but before the deadline, then a percentage of the bonus will be paid on a daily sliding scale; • The incorporation of a time cap on salvage operations with a consequent reduction in daily rate should the contractors fail to meet the specified deadline; • A requirement for a company representative to be present on site; • The provision for material changes in the method of work subsequent to changes to the physical circumstances of the wreck site; • A requirement for permits to be obtained by the contractor rather than the company, with provision for
Gigilinis operation Gigilinis’ salvage tug MACEDON II (right) successfully completed a salvage operation in the Aegean Sea, offering assistance to a general cargo vessel, the MV EEMS SPACE, which was experiencing main engine problems. The tug sailed from the port of Thessaloniki, Greece, shortly after the request for assistance was received. on the 10th of March 2010 and she arrived at the position of the casualty approximately 13 hours later and the casualty was eventually taken under tow. The convoy arrived at the port of Thessaloniki two days later and the casualty was re-delivered to her owners. 7
reimbursement by the company; • The introduction of a weather and downtime clause for periods where only partial wreck removal work can be carried out; • An extra cost provision in relation to import fees for bunkers and other items removed from the vessel; • The adoption of the Consequential Losses clause now used in TOWHIRE/ TOCON 2008 and: • The introduction of two new features covering dispute resolution. The first is a mediation provision (commonly found in other BIMCO contracts). The second is a neutral evaluation process whereby any disagreement about the application of standby rates is referred to an expert evaluator (most likely a member of the Lloyd’s SCR Panel). The evaluator will propose what rate should apply. Although this is not binding on the parties, the rate will apply with immediate effect so that work can continue – the parties being free to challenge the proposed rate at a later date. Although the main focus of the revision work is concentrated on WRECKHIRE, parallel amendments, where necessary, will also be made to the lump sum WRECKFIXED and stage payment WRECKSTAGE versions of the wreck removal agreements. For further information contact Grant Hunter at documentary@bimco.org
ITS 2010 Vancouver ITS was highly successful with 467 delegates, 103 exhibitors and 36 countries represented. General manager Garth Manson said: “It was outstanding - a wonderful combination of top quality papers which were stronger than ever this year - and superb networking among the key players of the industry”. The Convention included papers on a variety of salvage-related topics, including ISU President Todd Busch’s paper on the vital importance of cooperation in a crisis between ship interests and salvors, from the salvor’s perspective, and ISU General Manager John Noble speaking on tug safety. There were a number of other papers devoted to casualty co-operation and management, reflecting both the salvors’ and the owners’ perspective as well as those of the surveyors, consultants and SCRs. The clear message was that co-operation works for the benefit of all concerned and, in particular, the general public in the immediate area of the casualty.
TITAN’s Dan Schwall listens to a paper in the main conference hall.
For the final session, Doug Martin, General Manager, Smit Salvage Americas, gave an excellent presentation on the potential pitfalls of the OPA-90 Salvage Regulations and Vessel Response Plans. Jim Shirley of JTS Marine addressed the conference on Environmental and Liability Salvage. The Clubs response during the post paper discussion was that salvors are adequately rewarded at
present. The next ITS Convention is due to take place in Barcelona, Spain, on 7th-11th May 2012. The deadline for the submission of paper synopses is May 2011. Should you wish to submit a synopsis, participate in the exhibition or register as a delegate, please email the ITS 2012 Secretariat, Valerie Harris, at val@tugandsalvage.com
ITC update ITC stationed its tugs SUHAILI and SUMATRAS in Falmouth Bay in the south west of the UK, resulting in a string of emergency and rescue tows. SUMATRAS towed the 16,000 dwt tanker DORIS from Lorient to Rotterdam, following a collision with a fairway buoy which had damaged its propeller and rudder. And the general cargo vessel KAJA, 3,149 grt, loaded with wheat was assisted by SUMATRAS into Falmouth with engine problems. The same tug towed the 230m long container vessel MAERSK TEXAS from the Bay of Biscay to El Ferrol, Spain. The job was done under contract with Svitzer.
The container vessel BG FELIXSTOWE was assisted into Falmouth with main engine damage. The 11,000 dwt vessel had a cargo of loaded containers. And the geneal cargo vessel VENUS SCAN, 2,854 grt, (left) was connected up by SUHAILI in the Bay of Biscay following main engine problems and also taken into Falmouth. The loaded MV DANIEL, which had lost its rudder, was assisted by SUMATRAS from 300 miles west of La Corunna where the 11,121 dwt vessel was adrift. Capt Willem de Mik took the vessel in tow and proceeded to Dunkirk, where the convoy arrived just before a deep low pressure system struck the area. 8
On the other side of the world, ITC’s TEMPEST proceeded from its salvage station at Singapore to a position 650 miles to the north east in the south China Sea where the NORMED AMSTERDAM was adrift with main engine damage. The 11,200 dwt vessel was fully loaded and had a deck cargo of tubes (left and below). On arrival, 55 knot winds and a 6m swell meant that Capt Lyapchenko had to wait a day before connecting. Once connected, the convoy proceeded to Singapore.
Obituary Gunther Cantzler, 1935 - 2010 Former Geneal Manager, Remolcadores Ultratug and past member of the ISU Executive Committee. Gunther Cantzler was educated at the German School, Valparaiso and on leaving school in 1952, when he was 17, he started his interesting and varied professional life with Gildemeister Chile, which represented prestigious German manufacturing companies. He worked for Gildemeister for 13 years including a spell in Europe. Gunther left Gildemeister to work for a WAL, a firm representing well-known foreign car manufactures. He stayed with this firm also for 13 years. In 1979 Gunther joined the Ultramar Group where he had the opportunity to demonstrate his potential in the maritime area. Over time he developed the necessary skills and sufficient experience to become the General Manager of Remolcadores Ultragas Ltda, successfully leading a group
of young professionals. Under his management the fleet grew from 7 to 23 tugboats, offering services in almost every major port in Chile as well as in some Argentinean and Peruvian ports. In 1982 Gunther and his team carried out their first salvage operation. It was to be the first of many complex and successful salvage cases which gained the respect of the salvage community. In 1985 Gunther Cantzler entered into important negotiations with Smit Lloyd to perform offshore supply vessel operations in the country. The result of the negotiations was a fruitful and long lasting joint venture, building the strong foundations that allowed the company to expand its offshore activities to Argentina and Brazil. Gunther introduced Ultratug to the International Salvage Union in the early 1990s and the organisation was an important one for him. He enjoyed sharing his experience; learning from others and making good friends. He was an excellent representative for
Ultragas. And Ultratug hosted the ISU AGM in Santiago, Chile, in 1995 with Gunther as the organizer: members were introduced to the delights of the Pisco Sour. Gunther was a member of the ISU Executive Committee for a number of years up to his retirement in 2003. From his earliest days Gunther Cantzler demonstrated his great sense of humour. He was very popular among his classmates and colleagues, making many lifelong friendships. Through the years his sense of humor remained immutable. Upon retirement in 2003, he moved to a quiet place facing the Villarrica lake in the South of Chile, where he lived until he passed away quite unexpectedly as a result of a domestic accident, in May 2010, aged 75. He is survived by his wife Maria Cristina Klein, his two daughters Melanie and Camila and two grandchildren.
Titan in St Lucia
New tug for Remolcadores Ultratug Ltda.
TITAN Salvage has successfully removed 230 tons of fuel from a submerged vessel off the southern coast of Saint Lucia.
In June Remolcadores Ultratug Chile received the tug ENCO at the Asenav yard in Valdivia, Chile. This is the sixth tug from a series of identical tugs ordered by Ultratug at Asenav during the last three years in order to serve the new LNG terminal and mining projects inaugurated in Chile during this period.
The 657 TEU containership was en route to Guyana in February, capsized and sank in 105 feet of water about two miles from Vieux-Fort. No lives were lost in the incident. TITAN was contracted by the vessel’s owners to remove the hydrocarbons and other hazardous materials onboard.
The 5,145 bhp ASD harbour tug has a length of 32.5m; beam 11m; draught 4.2m; is grt 375 tons and has a 66.3 tons steady bollard pull. The ENCO (below) will operate from Punta Arenas on the south coast of Chile.
TITAN worked closely with Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and local contractors to safely complete the fuel removal operation mitigating the risk of an environmental incident. Seven TITAN divers worked from a supply vessel moored over the casualty. The vessel functioned as dive platform as well as a place to receive and store the contaminated bunker fuel. The divers worked in near perfect visibility but encountered rough seas and strong currents. All recovered fuel and hydrocarbons were transported to Puerto Rico for proper disposal. 9
New Dutch Emergency Towing Vessel The Netherlands Coastguard has showed off its new Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) at Den Helder. The IEVOLI BLACK has been chartered by the Netherland’s government from Svitzer and replaces the WAKER. The Dutch ETV is available at 15 minutes notice to
move, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Harvey Bisso Subsea
HARVEY DISCOVERY, a DP2 certified multi-purpose support vessel outfitted with a 1,000-foot (300 meters), portable 12-man Saturation Diving System, to perform the operation.
HARVEY BISSO SUBSEA successfully completed its first subsea project performing saturation diving work in 350 feet of water at ATP Oil & Gas Corporation’s deepwater platform in Grand Isle block 115. HARVEY BISSO SUBSEA used the
When winds of Force 5 or more are expected, the IEVOLI BLACK will put to sea and be stationed near the important shipping lanes northwest of the Wadden Islands. There are some 260,000
HARVEY BISSO SUBSEA is a joint venture between HARVEY GULF INTERNATIONAL MARINE providing vessel support and BISSO MARINE providing diving and subsea services.
movements a year of ships from or to Dutch ports or that pass its coast and since 1995 The Netherlands Coastguard has had a powerful salvage tug permanently at its disposal to intervene in incidents that could cause pollution or loss of cargo.
Above: The Harvey Discovery
Posidonia tennis tournament Andreas Tsavliris, Principal of Tsavliris Salvage Group, and Vice President of the International Salvage Union, and his tennis partner, Costas Gogos, won the Posidonia shipping events’ 2010 Tennis Tournament.
This publication is produced by the International Salvage Union. Members and associates are invited to submit material for publication. Contributions should be forwarded to James Herbert, ISU communications advisor. Tel: +44 (0) 1423 331 096 Email: admin@gemcomms.com
The event was hosted by Ken Scott, of Winter Scott (right, presenting the trophy) and Louise Glover, of E.G Arghyrakis & Co. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the tennis tournament, which Mr Tsavliris has now won three times. 10