Page 45: of Marine News Magazine (May 2015)

44 46

SPILL RESPONSE “The primary mission of the Kvichak RRS is the removal of light re? ned oils – diesel and jet fuel, for example – from the water surface in harbors and protected waters.

When in government service, the vessels work in concert with the other Navy Oil Spill Response boats and various boom arrangement schemes. The RRS collects and then transports recovered oil to an of? oad location.” – Ross Hendrick, Pollution Control Products

Division General Manager at Seattle-based Kvichak

Marine Industries • Generation III Skimmers, 2005: This was the ? rst ma- to an option to equitably cancel undelivered skimmers in jor redesign of the RRS, changing propulsion from single case the full quantity was not needed.”

Volvo I/O to twin 70hp outboard motors, and adding a BP asked Kvichak and all of their equipment vendors to diesel hydraulic power unit under deck, improving speed increase production capacity and expedite deliveries. And, and maneuverability while also improving recovery system this was done. Hendrick explains, “We were ahead on sev- performance. A total of 11 of these units were delivered eral unrelated projects in process, so working with our cus- from 2005 to 2010. tomers, all pulling on the same rope, we put those other • Generation IV Skimmers, 2010 – Present: A second ma- projects on temporary hold and switched our full produc- jor redesign of the unit widened the skimmer by 20 inches tion capacity to skimmers only. When we got into full swing to 9’-8” and involved upgrading the propulsion to twin on skimmers, our production level was 3 to 4 skimmers per 90hp outboard motors, increasing the size of the operator week including utilization of several fabrication subcon- cabin, and increasing recovered oil storage capacity from tractors.” Ultimately, the dispersant was very effective and 1,000 to 1,300 gallons. Beyond this and because of the im- oil was largely kept from the shoreline, so working with BP, provements in stability, the skimmer can now safely accom- Kvichak ended production at a total of 29 units delivered. modate up to 10 personnel for training purposes. 16 units After the response effort went into shutdown mode, were delivered from 2010 to 2014 and currently, 15 units BP began the process of disposing of massive amounts of are currently under construction for delivery in 2015. supplies and equipment purchased, including the skim- mers. The Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC)

Kvichak’s RRS: A World of Opportunities purchased 10 units and spread them around the US to

Apart from its very important U.S. Government cus- augment their response capabilities. Elastec/American Ma- tomer, Kvichak’s RRS output has some very familiar com- rine, Kvichak’s international marketing partner for their mercial names, as well. A similar version of the RRS was skimmer line, purchased 5 units for resale. Several smaller constructed for BP in the immediate wake of the Macondo response organizations purchased one or two units. And,

Gulf of Mexico disaster. That (? rst) unit was actually de- most people were probably unaware that BP generously livered on the day the well was ? nally capped. But, BP isn’t donated one unit to the National Spill Control School in

Kvichak’s only commercial customer. Hendrick explains, Corpus Christi, TX, and reassigned the remainder to BP “Our skimmers are in the inventory of all major US re- operations overseas (Europe and South America).

sponse organizations and are very well regarded. For the In the summer of 2015, it is clear that there is an abun-

Macondo spill, in an effort to be prepared for nearshore dance of oil spill response equipment on the market, and oil, BP and Kvichak negotiated for an initial order of 15 for that matter, in inventory worldwide. Still, when it skimmers after discussions and vetting of our product with comes time order to order the next piece of equipment, several national spill response organizations. Soon after the Kvichak’s RRS is a proven asset that transcends the test of initial order, BP increased the order quantity by 26 units time, global boundaries, and the forward march of tech- to a total of 41 skimmers, but working together we agreed nology. In other words: the ultimate workboat. 45 www.marinelink.com MN