California to Start Phase Out All Diesel Trucks at Ports Next Year

Drayage trucks and cargo movers are among the first to phase out beginning in 2024 and completed by 2035 (Port of Los Angeles file photo)

PUBLISHED MAY 1, 2023 6:59 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved on April 28 a first-of-its-kind rule that requires a phased transition toward zero-emission medium-and-heavy duty vehicles. Known as Advanced Clean Fleets, the new rule expands on California’s efforts to fully transition the trucks that travel across the state to zero-emissions technology by 2045 and includes provision for the ports and their cargo handling equipment.

Under the new rule, fleet owners operating vehicles for private services such as last-mile delivery and federal fleets such as the Postal Service, along with state and local government fleets, will begin their transition toward zero-emission vehicles starting in 2024. Drayage trucks, including those used to haul containers and freight from the ports as well as rail yards, are among the first to be targeted. Only zero-emission drayage trucks may register with CARB starting January 1, 2024. While there are provisions to phase out older trucks and ensure that operate through their useful life, dryage trucks will need to be zero-emissions by 2035.

The new bill is not entirely unanticipated. California has existing regulations since 2020 which required manufacturers to increase the sale of zero-emission trucks. Increasing numbers of zero-emission vehicles and cargo moves have begun to be introduced at the ports.

The Advanced Clean Fleets rule sets an end to combustion truck sales in 2036, a first-in-the-world requirement. In addition to impacting the trucks moving freight from the ports and rail yards, the new rules include provisions for off-road tractors. This will include vehicles such as cargo movers used in the yards at the ports. Other truck segments also have deadlines ranging from work trucks and day cab tractors must be zero-emission by 2039, and sleeper cab tractors and specialty vehicles must be zero-emission by 2042.

“We have the technology available to start working toward a zero-emission future now,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. “The Advanced Clean Fleets rule is a reasonable and innovative approach to clean up the vehicles on our roads and ensure that Californians have the clean air that they want and deserve. At the same time, this rule provides manufacturers, truck owners, and fueling providers the assurance that there will be a market and the demand for zero-emissions vehicles while providing a flexible path to making the transition toward clean air.”

The board says that the move is critical to the health and finances of California. While trucks represent only six percent of the vehicles on California’s roads, CARB reports they account for over 35 percent of the state’s transportation-generated nitrogen oxide emissions and a quarter of the state’s on-road greenhouse gas emissions. CARB projects the new rule to generate $26.6 billion in health savings from reduced asthma attacks, emergency room visits, and respiratory illnesses. Furthermore, fleet owners will save an estimated $48 billion in their total operating costs from the transition through 2050. An analysis of the sales and purchase requirements estimates that about 1.7 million zero-emission trucks will hit California roads by 2050.

Recognizing the scope of the transition that is called for under this rule, CARB notes that they have included transitions. Other fleet owners for example will have the option to transition a percentage of their vehicles to meet expected zero-emission milestones, which CARB says gives owners the flexibility to continue operating combustion-powered vehicles as needed during the move toward cleaner technology. The flexibility is intended to take into consideration the available technology and the need to target the highest-polluting vehicles. 

The rule also allows fleet owners to receive exemptions based on available technology to make sure fleet owners continue to replace their older polluting trucks with ones that have the cleanest engines in the nation. CARB reports that there are already about 150 existing medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission trucks that are commercially available in the U.S. today.

As part of the vote, board members also directed staff to coordinate with relevant state agencies on how non-fossil biomethane from sources related to the state’s wastewater and food waste diversion requirements can be used in hard-to-decarbonize sectors as part of the transition. The report will be presented to the board by the end of 2025. The board will use it to consider what actions might be needed to accomplish the transition.

Petrobras Makes "Plan B" in Case Amazon Drilling Permit Gets Rejected

Petrobras file image

PUBLISHED MAY 3, 2023 9:05 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Brazilian offshore oil giant Petrobras has made a "plan B" for using the rig it chartered to drill off the mouth of the Amazon, given the permitting headwinds it has encountered with the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama).

Last month, a team of technical reviewers at the regulator recommended rejecting Petrobras' permit application for drilling in a promising lease block off the Amazon River's mouth (Foz do Amazonas). The scientific review found that Petrobras' studies for the impact of the project had "inconsistencies," even after a series of revisions. The team also pointed to "significant deficiencies" in wildlife protection plans for an area that has endangered species found nowhere else. In addition, the team reiterated a longstanding concern that Petrobras has not performed a broader study to examine the potential impacts of the operation on the broader region, outside of the immediate area of the drilling site. 

Conservationists and marine scientists note that most of Brazil's sensitive mangrove habitat can be found in this region, along with an expanse of deep-sea coral reefs which have only recently been discovered and are yet to be studied. The area is also known for strong, dynamic currents, which could carry a spill for long distances in a short timeframe. 

The final decision on permitting rests with Ibama President Rodrigo Agostinho, a political appointee. His counterpart at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, has put a top priority on drilling in this region, the last frontier for Brazil's oil industry. "We have a window of opportunity, we cannot miss the new pre-salt [offshore fields]," said Silveira in March. "We need to take advantage of the wealth of the Brazilian people that is underground."

Silveira's view is shared by another appointee, Petrobras CEO Jean Paul Prates. Prates has made drilling in the Equatorial Margin (Amazon) region one of his top priorities, noting that it would help sustain the oil and gas revenue that undergirds federal spending.

Ibama has not yet handed down a final decision, but if it is unfavorable to Petrobras, the company plans to move its chartered rig to a "Plan B" site in the Potiguar Basin, a top executive told Reuters on Monday. 

If Petrobras does abandon the area, it would be the third supermajor to do so. In 2020-21, BP and TotalEnergies both gave up on plans to drill in the same region because of environmental and permitting considerations. 

US and Australian Alternative Investment Funds Acquire Australian Port

Geelong Port was acquired by U.S. and Australian investors (Geelong Port)

PUBLISHED APR 28, 2023 6:29 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

U.S.-based Stonepeak, an alternative investment fund manager, and Spirit Super, an industry fund based in Australia, completed on April 26 the acquisition of GeelongPort, the second largest port located in Australia’s Victoria state. The two funds view the port as a strong investment opportunity and committed to a long-term growth strategy when agreeing to buy the port in November 2022. They acquired the port for an estimated A$1.1 billion (US$660 million) from Canadian asset manager Brookfield and Australian pension fund State Super.

Stonepeak, which specializes in infrastructure and real assets, believes that GeelongPort offers significant opportunities owing to its status as a high-quality landlord port with operations that are critical to Australia’s economy. They highlight that the port is a major driver of the region’s economy facilitating over A$7 billion (US$4.6 billion) of annual trade and supporting more than 1,800 jobs across the state.

“Our investment in the port reflects Spirit Super’s strong commitment to investing in compelling opportunities across regional Australia,” said Ross Barry, Spirit Super Chief Investment Officer.

Located approximately 45 miles southwest of Melbourne, the port is Victoria’s premier bulk port handling 12 million tonnes of cargo and 600 vessel visits annually. The port encompasses 15 berths over two primary precincts, Corio Quay and Lascelles, and provides land, infrastructure, and services to facilitate trade for some of Victoria’s largest businesses.

In addition to the cargo port, GeelongPort worked closely with TT-Line and six months ago became the new Australian terminus for the Spirit of Tasmania ferry operations. The port developed a state-of-the-art passenger and freight terminal in its Corio Quay South precinct that includes a vehicle marshaling area for 600 cars, a parking area for 150 semi-trailers, crew accommodation, a café, and a children’s play area. Spirit of Tasmania completed its first sailing into Geelong on October 23, 2022, and the addition of the operation to the port is expected to increase tourism expenditure in both the city of Geelong and Victoria. Port officials also believe it has also created new opportunities for hospitality, agribusiness, freight, and logistics industries in Victoria.

“Closing this transaction marks another exciting milestone in the history of GeelongPort as it continues to serve its customers and the greater community of Victoria while playing an integral role in global trade,” said Darren Keogh, Stonepeak Senior Managing Director. “We believe GeelongPort has access to a meaningful set of opportunities for long-term growth, and we look forward to working with the GeelongPort team as we help them realize those opportunities while continuing to invest in existing objectives and supporting continued growth in the region.”

According to the new owners, the port is a highly contracted entity with strong barriers to entry and stable and predictable demand drivers, giving it meaningful opportunities for long-term growth through additional development to meet future import-export demand in the region. Following the acquisition, estimated to be worth $734 million, Stonepeak controls a 70 percent shareholding in GeelongPort with Spirit Super controlling the remaining 30 percent.

Shipping is Under Pressure to Stop Use of HFO - But It's Not Simple 

HEAVY FUEL OIL (BUNKER OIL)

PUBLISHED MAY 4, 2023 5:38 PM BY THE CONVERSATION

 

Interview with Don Maier, Associate Professor of Business, University of Tennessee

Most of the clothing and gadgets you buy in stores today were once in shipping containers, sailing across the ocean. Ships carry over 80% of the world’s traded goods. But they have a problem – the majority of them burn heavy sulfur fuel oil, which is a driver of climate change.

While cargo ships’ engines have become more efficient over time, the industry is under growing pressure to eliminate its carbon footprint.

European Union legislators reached an agreement to require an 80% drop in shipping fuels’ greenhouse gas intensity by 2050 and to require shipping lines to pay for the greenhouse gases their ships release. The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency that regulates international shipping, also plans to strengthen its climate strategy this summer. The IMO’s current goal is to cut shipping emissions 50% by 2050. President Joe Biden said on April 20, 2023, that the U.S. would push for a new international goal of zero emissions by 2050 instead.

Maritime industry researcher Don Maier discusses if the industry can meet those tougher targets.

 

Why is it so hard for shipping to transition away from fossil fuels?

Economics and the lifespan of ships are two primary reasons.

Most of the big shippers’ fleets are less than 20 years old, but even the newer builds don’t necessarily have the most advanced technology. It takes roughly a year and a half to come out with a new build of a ship, and it will still be based on technology from a few years ago. So, most of the engines still run on fossil fuel oil.

If companies do buy ships that run on alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, methanol and ammonia, they run into another challenge: There are only a few ports so far with the infrastructure to provide those fuels. Without a way to refuel at all the ports that a ship might use, companies will lose their return on investment, so they will keep using the same technology instead.

It isn’t necessarily that the maritime industry doesn’t want to go the direction of cleaner fuels. But their assets – their fleets – were purchased with a long lifespan in mind, and alternative fuels aren’t yet widely available.

Ships are being built that can run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol, and even hydrogen is coming online. Often these are dual-fuel – ships that can run on either alternative fuels or fossil fuels. But so far, not enough of this type of ship is being ordered for the costs to make financial sense for most builders or buyers.

The costs of alternative fuels, like methanol and hydrogen fuels made with renewable energy (as opposed to being made with natural gas), are also still significantly higher than fuel oil or LNG. But the good news is those costs are starting to decline. As production ramps up, emissions will drop further.

 

Can tougher regulations and carbon pricing effectively push the industry to change?

A little bit of pressure on the industry can be helpful, but too much, too fast can really make things more disruptive.

Like most industries, shipping lines want standardized rules they can count on not to change next year. Some of these companies have invested millions of dollars in new ships in recent years, and they’re now being told that those ships might not meet the new standards – even though the ships may be almost brand new.

Another concern with the EU’s moves is whether it has a grasp on all the “what if” scenarios. For example, if the EU has stricter rules than other countries, that affects which ships companies can use on European routes. Any vessels that they put on routes to Europe will have to meet those emissions standards. If there’s a greater demand for products in Europe, they may have fewer vessels they could use.

I do think the change will be coming soon in the industry, but changes have to make financial sense to the shipping lines and their customers, too.

Economists have estimated that the cost of cutting emissions 50% by 2050 are anywhere from US$1 trillion to, more realistically, over $3 trillion, and full decarbonization would be even higher. Many of those costs will be passed down to charterers, shippers and eventually consumers – meaning you and me.

 

Are there ways companies can cut emissions now while preparing to upgrade their fleets?

There are a number of options ship companies are using now to lower emissions.

One that has been used for at least 10 years is putting higher quality paint on the hulls, which reduces the friction between the hull and the water. With less friction, the engine isn’t working as hard, which reduces emissions.

Another is slow speed. If ships run at a higher speed, their engines work harder, which means they use more fuel and release more emissions. So shippers will use slow steaming. Most of the time, ships will go slow when they’re close to shore to reduce emissions that cause smog in port cities like Los Angeles. On the open ocean, they will go back to normal speed.

Another option common in the U.S. and Europe is shutting down the ship’s engines while in port and plugging into the port’s electricity. It’s called “cold ironing.” It avoids burning more of the ship’s fuel, which affects air quality. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where smog from idling ships has been a health concern, have been a big driver of electrification. It’s also less expensive for shipping companies than burning their fuel while in port.

As simple as those may sound, they have made huge improvements in terms of emissions, but they aren’t enough on their own.

 

Will a higher goal set by the IMO be enough to pressure the industry to change?

I used to work in shipping, and I know the maritime industry is a very old-school industry from centuries ago. But the industry has invested millions in new ships with the most effective technology available in recent years.

When the IMO began requiring all ships using heavy fuel in global trade to shift to low-sulfur fuel, the industry pivoted to meet the rule, even though retrofits were costly and time consuming. Many shipping lines complied by installing “scrubbers” that essentially filter the ship’s engine, and new ships were built to run on the low-sulfur fuel oil.

Now, the industry is being told the standards are changing again.

All industries want consistency so they can be confident investing in a new technology. The shipping lines will follow what the IMO says. They will push back, but they will still do it. That’s in part because the IMO supports the maritime industry, too.
 

This article originally appeared in The Conversation. Click here to read the full article with its supporting data.

 

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

Fundraiser for FSO Safer Salvage Fails to Reach UN Target

(UN supplied photo)

PUBLISHED MAY 4, 2023 5:01 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The latest international efforts to raise monies to fund the UN-sponsored salvage operation of the FSO Safer off the coast of Yemen failed to reach its targets on Thursday, leaving the United Nations urgently appealing for additional donations. The UK and Netherlands co-hosted a fundraising event that it was hoped would close the gap as the assets required for the operation are nearly on-site.

Reports are citing different amounts of funds pledged during today’s co-sponsored event but all agree it failed to reach the target of $29 million needed for the emergency phase of the operation. The UN had been able to grow the available funding to $99 or $100 million before today’s conference. Costs for the plan increased in part due to the rebound in the global oil markets. The UN earlier said that the cost of the replacement oil tanker increased with the final agreement being for $55 million to acquire a VLCC Nautica from Euronav.

UN officials thanked the participants in today’s event reporting that Egypt, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and private company Octavia Energy and its subsidiary, Calvalley Petroleum, announced pledges totaling almost $8 million, of which $5.6 million represents new funding. The UK issued a statement after the conference however saying that the event had raised over $7.54 million. The UK’s Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell is quoted as announcing the UK would provide an additional £2.5 million ($3.14 million) bringing the UK’s total commitment to £8 million ($10 million). However, it is unclear from the statement if that is in addition to the total raised from the event or part of the reported £6 million ($7.54 million).

In the statement after the conference, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said, “The United Nations can now start the operation to transfer the oil onto a replacement vessel and resolve the immediate threat.”

The UN calculates that it has now raised $105.2 million for the emergency phase of the operation to remove the oil from the FSO Safer. The monies raised includes more than $260,000 in contributions from the public through a UN crowdfunding campaign. This leaves $23.8 million for the emergency phase unfunded. An additional $19 million is required for the critical second phase, comprising the installation of a catenary anchor leg mooring buoy and the tethering of the replacement vessel to it, as well as the towing of the FSO Safer to a green salvage yard for recycling.

Speaking at the UN’s briefing, deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said that the work could begin by the end of this month. He is being quoted as saying the financial need is “crucial” in order to let the UN complete the task that has begun. Haq noted that the UN can not sell the oil aboard the Safer to pay for the operation. The rebels that control that region of Yemen claim ownership of the approximately 1.1 million barrels of oil stored aboard the Safer. Pressed by reporters on how the UN would proceed, he said, "We’re going to do as much we can right away, and we’ll see what we can do to get the necessary funding."

The shortfall in today’s fundraising effort comes as the VLCC Nautica has nearly arrived in the region. The vessel’s AIS signal shows that it is traveling off the south coast of Yemen, although under the plan it is to proceed to neighboring Djibouti on the eastside of the Gulf of Aiden. The tanker is scheduled to remain there while the first phase of the operation stabilizes the Safer and prepares its tanks for the ship-to-ship oil transfer.

The UN Development Programme also has a contract with Boskalis for its SMIT division to manage the salvage operation. SMIT’s vessel the Ndeavor is due to reach Port Said, Egypt on May 13. After the transit of the Suez Canal, the plan calls for the vessel to make final preparations, including loading additional equipment and personnel, also in Djibouti. It would then proceed to the FSO Safer and begin with a visual survey followed by efforts to place a portable inert gas generator aboard the Safer to stabilize the storage tanks which have not been properly vented in years. The crew aboard the SMIT vessel will be measuring the levels of toxic gases and based on their inspection of the cargo and inert gas lines, valves and manifolds, have said they might have to refine the salvage plan.

The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher co-host of today’s fundraiser commented calling on the rest of the international community and the private sector to work together to secure the remaining funding necessary to fully cover the costs incurred by the UN and provide a long-term solution for the tanker.

Seafarers Happiness Index Declines in Q1 Reversing Gains in 2022

Seafarers happiness declined in the first quarter (ILO file photo)

PUBLISHED MAY 4, 2023 8:42 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The Mission to Seafarers released the Seafarers Happiness Index report for Q1 2023, which shows a decline in overall happiness levels among seafarers during the first three months of the year, and levels lower than the prior three quarters of 2022. The charity which works with insurer NorthStandard and marine surveyor Idwal, reports the survey reveals growing frustrations and challenges faced by seafarers, highlighting the need for collaborative industry-wide action to improve welfare and well-being in shipping 

The survey which seeks to measure seafarers' sentiments worldwide across a wide range of welfare issues, covers ten key questions that the organizers believe provide insights into the challenges and opportunities facing seafarers. During the most recent quarter, the index fell to 7.1 out of 10 and down from 7.69 in Q4 2022, highlighting what the Mission says is growing frustrations among respondents, following a period of rising happiness. Nine out of ten areas surveyed showed a decrease in happiness levels.

The Revd Canon Andrew Wright, Secretary General of The Mission to Seafarers, raised concern noting that “We saw the satisfaction of seafarers steadily grow throughout 2022, and this continued into the fourth quarter with a high-water mark of satisfaction at 7.69/10. Unfortunately, this positive trend came to an end in the first quarter of this year, as happiness levels have declined almost across the board.”

Many of the issues being identified rise from the long periods seafarers are spending aboard ship. Shore leave and a desire to access welfare services ashore were identified as key areas for concern. Seafarers also reported growing frustration with owners who attempt to make seafarers sign on for longer periods than desired, as well as with the delays experienced in sign-off procedures. 

In addition, the challenges of coping with extended periods on board have reportedly been made harder due to inadequate food provisions, bureaucratic and unnecessary paperwork demands, ineffective shipboard leadership, and a sense of social isolation adding to the stress of life onboard. The seafarers also mentioned insufficient entertainment options on board are making it harder for them to find a reason to interact socially with their shipmates, elements that have been identified as contributing to their well-being and job satisfaction.

The report also identified several other challenges facing seafarers, including a growing wellness gap between companies that provide health and well-being programs and those that do not, access to dental care in some ports but not others, and limited access to mental health support, medical advisory services, and physical well-being consultations. Seafarers also expressed concerns about salaries, the cost of living, and potential obstacles to career advancement.

“The dip in the Seafarers’ Happiness Index in the first quarter of 2023 is a worrying sign after the steady increase last year,” said Thom Herbert, Idwal Senior Marine Surveyor and Crew Welfare Advocate.

The one area that showed an increase in satisfaction is with connectivity. Seafarers have long highlighted their desire for improved communications and the ability to maintain contact during their long periods at sea and away from home. Seafarers still however reported connectivity issues at sea across different companies, as well as concerns about data allowances, internet speed, and connectivity limitations.

The Mission to Seafarers hopes that the Seafarers Happiness Index report will draw attention to the challenges faced by seafarers and that companies and industry stakeholders will work collaboratively toward finding solutions to improve their welfare and happiness levels. According to the organizers of the survey, the current results illustrate how important it is to maintain momentum on seafarer welfare and why there can be zero complacency over the conditions in which seafarers find themselves.

The Seafarers Happiness Index is a barometer of the key issues facing those at sea, conducted every three months. Seafarers are asked ten key questions about their experiences, via an online survey.

 The report is available online.

 

Cerulean Plans $25B Offshore Wind "Power Main" for Oil Platforms

Illustration courtesy Cerulean Winds

PUBLISHED MAY 4, 2023 11:35 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Cerulean Winds, one of the biggest players in offshore wind power for oil platforms, has announced plans to build out a massive $25 billion subsea electrical grid to deliver renewable power as a utility service for oil and gas extraction. 

Together with Frontier Power, Cerulean will develop the North Sea Renewables Grid (NSRG), an integrated power transmission system that offshore platforms will "plug into" for clean power. This system will be powered by hundreds of floating offshore wind turbines producing gigawatts of green electricity.

The first phase will focus on repowering oil and gas installations via construction of an HVAC "offshore ring main" around the Central North Sea producing region. Work with customers and suppliers has already begun, and Cerulean plans to have power online in 2028 - before Scotland's offshore supply chain gets busy building out the utility-focused ScotWind leases. 

“We recognize that to achieve meaningful reductions at the pace required, a reliable basin-wide approach is needed that [platforms] can plug into when they are ready," said Dan Jackson, the founding director of Cerulean Winds. "Basin-wide scale gives greater flexibility, lower pricing and supply robustness." 

In March, Cerulean won three lease options in the Central North Sea in Scotland's special-purpose INTOG leasing round. The combined maximum potential at these sites comes to about three gigawatts of power, giving Cerulean the majority of the capacity on offer in the auction. 

Last year, Cerulean Winds signed a smaller agreement with Ping Petroleum to electrify the Avalon FPSO in the Central North Sea, using a single floating wind turbine. Avalon will be among the first production platforms powered mainly by offshore wind in the UK. 

NTSB: Scrap Metal Can Be a Fire Hazard, Even If It's Not an IMDG Cargo

A pile of low-grade scrap burns aboard the barge CMT Y Not 6 (Courtesy Memorial Fire Company)

PUBLISHED MAY 4, 2023 5:08 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

In a warning to shipping published Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Bureau highlighted the fire risk inherent in scrap metal cargoes, particularly from hazardous and flammable contaminants like lithium-ion batteries. Though scrap metal is not rated as a hazardous cargo, and is usually treated like any other bulk commodity, NTSB cautioned that these contaminants can create risks for shipping. 

A fire last year aboard a scrap barge in the Delaware Bay illustrates the potential for intense and dangerous blazes, even hot enough to melt metal.

On May 21, 2022, the tug Daisy Mae made up tow with the deck barge CMT Y Not 6 at an EMR-operated recycling facility in Newark. EMR's shoreside team had already loaded the barge with about 7,000 tons of low-grade steel scrap, known in the trade as "shredder feed." This mixture includes recyclable waste steel like whole crushed cars, appliances, and any other steel bigger than a quarter of an inch in thickness. This grade also contains lots of non-steel waste, and these unwanted extra materials get removed at a shredding plant - in this case, EMR's industrial shredding facility in Camden.

There was nothing unusual about this route or the cargo, the captain told NTSB. The Daisy Mae navigated out the Kill van Kull, out of New York Harbor, down the Jersey coastline, and into the Delaware River Channel. In the early hours of May 23, as the tug transited up the Delaware Bay towards Camden, the AB on watch saw smoke and an illuminated glow aboard the barge, on the port side aft. He told the mate, who sounded the general alarm and roused the captain.

Courtesy USCG

The fire rapidly expanded, and the crew notified the Coast Guard. To secure the barge in position for firefighting efforts, they transited to shallow water and anchored on the tow wire. 

Six firefighting boats and a Coast Guard response boat attended the scene, and the responders managed to extinguish the fire after 24 hours of operations. The fire was largely contained to the barge's stern.

Courtesy Memorial Fire Company

After the fire was out, Daisy Mae completed her planned voyage to the Camden plant. When the scrap was offloaded, surveyors found that the fire had buckled the barge's bin walls and side shell plating, and the main deck had sagged up to a foot and a half in the area of the blaze. Several internal bulkheads had heat damage as well. The total cost of repairs was estimated at about $7 million. 

On inspecting the fire-damaged scrap, NTSB and the Coast Guard found that some of the metal had liquefied, then re-hardened into large chunks. In the undamaged scrap, the inspectors found plastic waste, rubber tires and electrical components, among other flammables. 

Globules of melted and resolidified metal in the burned scrap pile (NTSB)

The exact cause of the fire could not be determined. NTSB identified many possible ignition sources, like sparks from shifting and grinding metal during transit, self-heating materials like oily rags, or improperly-disposed-of lithium-ion batteries. EMR's VP of operations acknowledged that the increasing prevalence of lithium-ion batteries is a known problem for the scrap industry, and that it is difficult to fully exclude batteries from large piles of scrap steel. However it started, the fire was able to feed on abundant fuel from flammable contaminants within the cargo. 

The investigators noted multiple recent scrap-metal fires aboard foreign-flagged ships, including the fire that destroyed the freighter Tai Yuan in Japan in 2017. 

"Metallic and nonmetallic hazardous materials often are present within shoreside scrap metal piles and could be loaded onto vessels. These often-flammable materials elevate the fire risk and can lead to intense fires," noted NTSB. "Qualified cargo-surveying personnel can assist the vessel’s captain before and during loading operations to limit the presence of hazardous, combustible material in scrap metal. Thermal imagery is an effective tool that could be used to identify hot spots in scrap metal cargo at shoreside facilities."

Nigeria Releases Crew of VLCC Heroic Idun, Ending Nine-Month Ordeal

Courtesy All India Seafarers' Union

PUBLISHED APR 30, 2023 8:00 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Nigeria has released the long-imprisoned crew of the VLCC Heroic Idun, who were accused of attempting to lift oil from an offshore platform and held without bail since last year.

Heroic Idun's ordeal began on August 8, when the tanker arrived as scheduled to take on a cargo from the CNOOC-operated Akpo offshore FPSO. As she waited, Heroic Idun was approached by the Nigerian Navy vessel Gongola. Fearing that the patrol boat was actually a pirate vessel, Heroic Idun fled into Equatorial Guinea's waters and reported an attempted act of piracy to the IMB's reporting center. 

In response, Nigeria requested Equatorial Guinean authorities to hold the VLCC on charges of oil theft. Guinean authorities took possession of the ship and helds it until November, when they transferred it to the custody of the Nigerian Navy. Nigerian prosecutors charged members of the Heroic Idun's crew with conspiracy to commit a maritime offense; false pretense to be victims of a maritime offense; and "attempting to deal with crude oil within the Nigeria Exclusive Economic Zone without lawful authority." 

On Friday, nearly nine months after the ordeal began, a court in Port Harcourt ordered that the tanker's crew must be released. The owner will have to pay a nominal official fine. The crew - including Sri Lankan, Indian, Pakistani and Polish nationals - will all be headed home to their respective countries soon. 

The crew of the VLCC were the only individuals charged. Entities with decisionmaking authority for Heroic Idun's operations - the owner, shipmanager and charterer, all large and reputable Western companies - were not accused of any wrongdoing. The operators of the Akpo FPSO - without whom there could be no oil transfer, illegal or legal - were not charged with oil smuggling. 

The Heroic Idun's detention coincided with the onset of the Nigerian presidential election cycle. The rampant oil theft found in the Niger Delta littorals was among the top issues of the election, and the seizure of a Norwegian-operated, British-chartered VLCC at a terminal 75 nm offshore was portrayed as a major success during the campaign. The nation's inland oil theft problem is decades old and has proven exceptionally resistant to suppression, due in part to the involvement of political and military elites.  

Salvors Right and Refloat U.S. Navy Subsea Vessel R/V Petrel

File image courtesy Vulcan Inc. / Estate of Paul Allen

PUBLISHED MAY 2, 2023 5:56 PM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

The U.S. Navy-owned research ship that fell over in a drydock in Scotland has been righted and refloated at last. 

In March, the storied research vessel R/V Petrel tipped over in drydock at a yard in Leith, Scotland. The ship had been laid up since the beginning of the pandemic, and it was undergoing an overhaul before returning to service. 35 people were injured when the vessel tilted over, including some who sustained serious injuries. 

Several victims have retained legal counsel to seek compensation. One worker, Romanian national Constantin Pogor, told The Independent that he was thrown across the bridge and fractured his pelvis and ribs when the ship tipped over.

The cause of the casualty is not yet known, though unusually high winds may have played a role. The UK's Health and Safety Executive is investigating.

In recent weeks, work crews have been busy at the site with large mobile cranes, preparing for the effort to right the Petrel. The ship was finally refloated and moved out of drydock on Tuesday, according to the BBC.  

R/V Petrel has an illustrious history. Built in Norway in 2003 for Stolt Offshore, she performed subsea inspections in the North Sea for more than a decade. In 2016, she was purchased by Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen and refitted for deep ocean search expeditions. Under Allen's ownership, the vessel cruised the Pacific hunting for famous World War II shipwrecks for the next three years - and she found more than a few. Among other successes, Petrel was responsible for the discovery of the wreck of the cruiser USS Indianapolis, the Japanese battleships Hiei and Musashi, the aircraft carrier USS Wasp, and the light cruiser USS Juneau, of Sullivan Brothers fame. 

Paul Allen passed away in 2020, and the Petrel was laid up during the pandemic due to the operational challenges of the era. The U.S. Navy purchased it from Allen's estate for $13 million in 2022, with plans to use it for a seabed infrastructure protection mission. It is operated by Oceaneering under contract.