Sea-Fab Converts Offshore Supply Vessel To Oil Spill Recovery Boat

The Delaware Bay & River Cooperative (DBRC) recently christened the Delriver, the newest and largest member of its oil spill recovery fleet in a christening ceremony at DBRC headquarters in Lewes, Del.

The DBRC is a partnership of 15 companies in the petroleum, petroleum transportation and related industries in the Delaware Valley dedicated to the safe transportation of cargoes and the preservation of the waterways.

The 425-ton Delriver is the flagship of the DBRC fleet. The converted offshore supply vessel was renovated by Sea-Fab of Pascagoula, Miss., into a top notch oil spill recovery vessel, representing a $3 million investment by member companies.

The Delriver, along with all other DBRC equipment and activities is funded entirely by member companies.

"The Delriver exemplifies the continuing commitment by DBRC member companies to protect the waterways," said Gene Johnson, DBRC manager. "The Delriver is a stateof- the-art oil spill recovery vessel, which allows the DBRC to respond even more efficiently and effectively in the event of an incident. While we are excited to have her as part of our fleet, the safe transportation of cargoes remains the goal of the member companies," Mr. Johnson emphasized.

Member companies include Amoco Oil Co, Atlantic Pipeline, BP Oil, Inc., Chevron, USA, Inc., Coastal Eagle Point Oil Company, Delmarva Power, E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., Exxon USA, Maritrans, Mobil Oil Corp., Philadelphia Electric Company, Public Service Electric & Gas Co., Seaview Oil Company, Star Enterprise, and Sun Refining & Marketing Company.

The cooperative operates in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, serving the Delaware Bay, as well as the navigable sections of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers.

The Delriver is staffed 24 hours a day by two four-man crews. She measures 166 feet in length and has a 38-foot beam and an 8-1.2-foot draft. Her powerful 2,000-hp engines, 62,000-gallon fuel capacity and maximum speed of 12 knots ensure that she reaches her destination quickly. Her twin propellers and bow thruster make her a highly maneuverable vessel.

The Delriver uses Ro-Boom system of oil spill recovery. As she navigates through a spill area, two arms extend from either side deploying R-Boom skimming systems.

The J-shaped booms contain skimmers capable of recovering oil capacity of 130,000 gallons. The Delriver also has the capability of deploying 3,000 feet of 43-inch boom from her stern, enough to fully encircle a tanker.

For free literature detailing the vessel construction, conversion and repair capabilities of Sea-Fab, Circle 187 on Reader Service Card

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