Page 17: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2004)

OPA 90 & the

According to the USCG, oil spills have been reduced by roughly 90 percent since OPA90 was passed some 12 years ago. Encouraging, but statistics are often misleading. It would be a reasonable assumption that the oil that was spilled was a result of human error or equip- ment failure; not spilled intentionally.

On September 10, 2001 you could base the potential for spills on past inci- dents. All that changed when we got our wake-up call the next morning. "9/11 showed us...the terrorists used our own infrastructure against us," says Admiral

Vivien S. Crea. First Coast Guard

District, Boston. We realize now that there are those who would benefit from intentionally spilling oil...and the more the better. OPA90 was not designed for this scenario. It's been over two years since 9/11 and domestically it's been quiet. The peaceful passing of time has an unfortunate way of lulling one back to sleep. But has the threat really gone away? They say 9/11 was planned as long as five years before it was carried out. "What happened with airplanes can also happen with ships, when you talk about passenger ships with over 2,000 people or a gas tanker, which is a float- ing bomb. It could destroy a whole city.

It is the same with oil tankers," warns

Henri van Berlo of Bureau Veritas,

Dubai. The new ISPS Code goes a long way in assessing and preventing terrorist incidents but does not address marine casualty response. The results of a ter- rorist incident would be the same as those OPA90 was created to avert: another catastrophic, environmental dis- aster... in addition to the lives that would also be lost. Admiral Crea acknowledges that disruptions to our rigid waterways system are harder to overcome than the airlines. Protecting all 360 ports and the inland system at all times will be a daunting task. All it would take is one ship to sneak through.

There were more than 270 piracy attacks worldwide over the last 12 months; six in our very own Gulf area. "While there is always room for improvement in the management and operation of ships, no amount of fresh regulatory action will eradicate the potential for another Prestige. The obvi- ous counter, therefore, is to reinforce salvage cover in areas of the world that are heavily trafficked and environmen- tally sensitive," said Joop

Timmermans. President, International

Salvage Union. OPA90 accomplished the mission of its time but in this post- 9/11 era it has become inadequate. But there is new legislation on our drawing boards that would go a long way towards closing the gaps in OPA90. This

War on Terror new proposed rule, known as the

Salvage and Marine Firefighting

Requirements, will require pre-posi- tioned salvage assets and the capability to quickly respond and contain worst- case maritime disasters. USCG has delayed the rule, and it's now more than a year since they closed the public com- ment period, citing the need for time to evaluate the enormous amount of com- ments. The rule is good but difficult to accept by those who would end up foot- ing the enormous bill. If protecting crit- ical energy infrastructures is vital to

Homeland Security, then sooner is better than later to pass this much needed reg-

Maritime Security ulation. The time is right.

Rick Fernandez is Emergency Response

Manager for JMS Naval Architects &

Salvage Engineers.JMS offers salvage engineering response 24/7 and wrote the authoritative text on the subject, Marine

Casualty Response. Learn more about

JMS at: jmsnet.com. Rick can be reached at: [email protected].

MARINE GLASS—

FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY

ON THE SEAS

MARINE GLASS offers exceptional safety and security in passenger vessels, work boats, and military applica- tions. Bonded with tough high performance interlayers, Marine

Glass laminates can be designed to provide effective ballistics, bomb and blast protection, as well as security and storm protec- tion. This toughened, high performance glass is available in flat or bent configurations and resists moisture, water vapor, chemi- cal attack, and UV. Clear or tinted glass is available.

ProCurve ProCurve Glass Technology, LLC 3535 Davisville Road

CLASS-TECHNOLOGY. LLf Hatboro, PA 19040 U.S.A. 215-441-9101 Fax 215-441-9190 e-mail: [email protected] www.procurveglass.com

Circle 252 on Reader Service Card

Are Stray Electrical Currents Destroying Your Machinery?

Used on propeller shafts, thrusters, turbines, generators, electrical motors, gears, pumps & other rotating equipment. -Failure to properly ground rotating shafts can result in bearing, seal and gear damage. -Operates dry or with oil spray.

Self- cleaning. -Working parts can be removed and serviced during operation. -Brush voltage is insulated from casing, allowing voltage and current monitoring. "PLUNGER" TYPE "A" (SCHEMATIC;

PLUNGER CARTRIDGE,

RENOrtBLE IN SERVICE

WEAR INDICATOR

I/O BRUSH ' —DAiCtMlj

RAISING SCREW

SOLOERED

TERMINAL ©2002

SOHRE TURBOMACHINERY INC.

SOHRE TURBOMACHINERY INC. 132 Gilbertville Road, P.O. Box 889 TEL (413) 967-6908

Ware, Massachusetts, USA 01082 FAX (413) 967-5846 (800)207-2195 [email protected] www.sohreturbo.com

Circle 256 on Reader Service Card

WACO Products, Inc.

Your Complete Marine Product Supplier For

Gangways, Accommodation Ladders, Inclined,

Vertical and Side Ladders, Treads, Grating,

Battens, Replacement Parts and More.

Circle 260 on Reader Service Card

YOKOGAWA

Circle 203 on Reader Service Card

AG Marine 5009 Pacific Highway East, # 11

Fife. WA 98424 USA 253.926.1948 Fax 253.926.2244 www.agmarine.com

Yokogawa a Commercial Marine Distributor

Autopilots

Gyrocompass

Electromagnetic Speed Logs

Charting Tables

Control Monitoring Systems

Industrial Components

Systems Design ft Integration

New Construction

Retrofits

OEM Replacement Parts

Authorized Training Center

World Wide Service £fc Support Network

Vessel Service Arrangements 24/7 Engineering ft Parts Support

Factory Trained Agent Network

TOOTHBRUSH" TYPES "LW," L" & "S" (SCHEMATIC)

TOP ARRANGEMENT

NO SPRING-ASSIST REQUIRED

FOR HORIZONTAL ±45"

BRUSH ELEMENT, (REPLACEABLE)

SILVER/GOLD, 0.6* WIDE

BRUSH UNIT.

REMOVABLE IN SERVICE

WITH

January 2004 17