Page 15: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 1996)

Major Salvage Operation Prevents

U.K. Pollution Disaster

A major spill in U.K. waters was averted when a Smit Tak and Cory Towage joint salvage team successfully refloated the grounded

Norwegian tanker Borga, laden with 112,189 tons of North Sea crude.

Five tugs pulled the 123,665-dwt tanker free from the rocky coast at St. Ann's Head, Milford

Haven. The refloating was performed on a ris- ing tide, following an overnight ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of 7,674 tons of cargo to the lightering tankers Ecoman, 6,000 dwt, and

White Crest, 3,500 tons. Borga grounded at

Mill Bay and Smit Tak and Cory Towage obtained a Lloyd's Open Form (LOF) 1995 sal- vage contract. Four Cory harbor tugs, each with 3,500 hp, and the powerful anchor-han- dling tug/supply vessel Anglian Earl, 8,000 hp, responded to the casualty.

Smit Tak General Manager Geert Koffeman commented, "The prompt rescue of the Borga makes the point, once again, that rapid salvage response can prevent major pollution disasters.

The environmental consequences of the loss of over 100,000 tons of crude oil on the Welsh coast were unthinkable."

The LOF salvage contract was obtained from

Bergen-based owner J. Ludwig Mowinckels.

Smit Tak mobilized Senior Salvage Master

Captain Bert Kleyweght and a group of expe- rienced divers and other salvage personnel, together with survey equipment and diving gear. As lightering continued, the joint salvage team assembled and assessed the situation. An initial diving survey was performed and the team formulated a plan for refloating the casu- alty. The divers reported that the areas of dam- age were not extensive, and centered on three double bottom tanks and the forepeak. There was no leakage of oil from the tanker's double hull. Anglian Earl, with a 100-ton bollard pull, required only half power during this operation.

Reportedly, no pollution occurred.

Borga was towed to an available berth at

Milford Haven, where another diving inspec- tion took place. After salvage services were ter- minated, the tanker proceeded to the Texaco terminal for discharge of the cargo.

For more information from Smit International

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McDermott To Lead Offshore Base

Conceptual Design

McDermott Shipbuilding, Inc. will provide the technical lead in a $5.9 million contract award- ed to McDermott's Contract Research Division by the Naval Surface Warfare Center,

Carderock Division. The contract calls for con- ceptual and preliminary designs and three- dimensional computer models of a Mobile

Offshore Base (MOB), a floating platform which could be used as a military logistics support base. The contract, which is sponsored by the

Advanced Research Projects agency (ARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), con- tains an option which could raise the total value to $20 million over three years. McDermott

Shipbuilding is based in St. Rose, La.; Contract

Research Division offices are in Alliance, Ohio, and Lynchburg, Va. In addition, McDermott's

Hudson Engineering Corporation, located in

Houston, and its Research and Development

Division, located in Alliance, will be involved in the project.

For more information on McDermott Shipbuilding

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Moran Embarks On Tug Conversion

Program

Moran Towing Corp. has commenced an inno- vative tug conversion program for its single- screw tugs. When converted, the new Mortrac class tugs will have a forward-mounted, fully- retractable, 360-degree azimuthing thruster in addition to single-screw propulsion systems.

Mortrac tugs will also have completely redesigned superstructures. As a result of the conversion, Moran says, these tugs will have significantly increased horsepower, exception- ally enhanced maneuverability and unobstruct- ed, 360-degree pilothouse visibility. The first conversion under this program involves the tug

Sewells Point. With the addition of the 640-hp thruster unit, the tug's total maximum horse- power will be increased to 3,005 hp. Moreover, its maneuverability will be enhanced to a point where it can "walk" sideways and turn within its own length. According to Moran, the pro- gram is a response to the increasing size and demanding configurations of today's commer- cial and naval vessels, as well as the need for improved maneuverability in safely moving oil barges.

Freeport To Expand Capacity

Freeport Shipbuilding and Marine Repair is adding a new 20,000-sq.-ft. fabrication building to its expanding boat building facility. The new building will be used in conjunction with

Freeport's existing 15,000-sq.-ft. fabrication building in constructing large passenger ves- sels, including futuristic high-speed ferries. The fabrication building is now in the design/engi- neering phase. The new construction is a result of a recent licensing agreement between

Freeport and Advanced Multi-Hull Designs (AMD) of Sydney, Australia, under the terms of which Freeport will build AMD-designed mod- ern high-speed ferries up to 150 ft. (46 m) in length at its Freeport, Fla., shipyard.

For more information on Freeport Shipbuilding

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FERRY BOATS 65 LAKE CHELAN specifications

Length 65' Speed 30 knots

Beam 21' Engines .. Detroit 12V92S

Displacement... 45 tons Passengers 149 tSy>E»ESSfm mUNSDN

HflmmERHEflD •^fllumiNUmBORT^? - .>." „.„.„ j? 32ISLIP ^/MriM •

Munson Hammerhead Boats • P.O. Box 597, La Conner, Washington 98257

Phone:{360)466-5925 • Fax:(360)466-5921 16901 WOOD-RED RD.

WOODINVILLE, WA 98072 (800) 426-3917 FAX (206)

THE NO. 1 FENDER FOR

SHIP ASSIST

WORK!

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January, 1996 17C

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Five years ago when our clients were asking us to build them a softer and stronger fender, we did something about it.

The result is the

Model SR3D Soft Loop

Style Fender.