The following is a statement from the Clean Arctic Alliance:
On Saturday 23 June 2018, a collision between a tanker and the jetty in the Port of Rotterdam – Europe’s biggest seaport, resulted in a heavy fuel oil (HFO) spill. Despite the immediate mitigation actions taken by the crew of the vessel and resources on-shore, 217 tonnes of HFO are estimated to have spilled from the fuel tank. “This is an environmental disaster for the local area and a stark reminder of the need to urgently ban the use and carriage of heavy fuel oil by Arctic shipping to prevent similar disasters happening in the Arctic”, said Dr Sian Prior, Lead Adviser for the Clean Arctic Alliance.
In media reports, a clean-up operation is underway and efforts are being undertaken to rescue oiled birds, but it seems likely that not all affected animals will be saved. The clean-up operation could take days if not weeks according to the Port of Rotterdam. Reports indicate that over 1,000 birds have so far been affected by the oil, including hundreds of swans which have been taken to a nearby bird sanctuary for treatment once the birds have been stabilised.
If such a disaster struck in the Arctic, it is unlikely that an adequate response could be put in place due to its remoteness. The limited availability of equipment and personnel to recover the oil, absence of safe holding or disposal locations for recovered oil, and complete absence of wildlife rehabilitation facilities mean that an effective response would be virtually impossible depending on the local conditions, oil spill response equipment might not be suitable, and oil could get stuck under sea ice and travel long distances before it seeps out again, with no prediction as to where that will happen. “A HFO spill is a tragedy anywhere in the world, and our thoughts are with those mounting the wildlife rescue and clean-up operations in the Netherlands”, said Dr Prior, adding that “this residue of the oil refining process should be banned for use in ecologically sensitive areas, including the Arctic in order to minimise the risk of environmental damage in the event of a spill”.
Photo credit: Clean Arctic Alliance
Published: 28 June 2018
Both China and Singapore are committed to meeting their sustainability goals under the Paris Agreement, and have embarked on green finance agendas.
The market is currently undergoing a transitional phase where a wide range of alternatives are being evaluated, says Sonnich Thomsen, Managing Director for Bunkers at Sing Fuels.
Developed with South Pole, the program allows clients to compensate the emissions from shipping their cargo by contributing financially to projects that reduce emissions.
Regulation from 1 September affects imported and Chinese-flagged ships in domestic waterway transportation.
Hydra was built by shipyard Westcon Group for ferry operator Norled; the vessel will be ready to sail on liquid hydrogen as bunker fuel when supply is available.
‘ABB encourages the Subcommittee to set an ambitious, long-term national plan to achieve zero emissions for all vessels under its operation,’ says Peter Bryn.
Significant uptick in the number of quality claims being alleged by ship owners has also been seen since the implementation of contactless bunkering operations, notes Partner at Rajah & Tann.
‘The launch of our company website signifies the readiness of Singfar to engage with relevant stakeholders to achieve our mission of enabling sustainable trade,’ Managing Director tells Manifold Times.
Associate Director at Helmsman highlights the need to stay up-to-date with latest protocols / measures introduced by MPA, with continuous education of Master and crew of the visiting vessel.
BunkerPlanner Lite is an attempt to educate professionals engaged in bunker decisions about the use of advanced technology in the decision process, explains BunkerMetric CEO Christian Plum.
Senior Associate at Clyde & Co offers guidance to protect shipowners and bunker tanker operators in the event opposing counterparty breaches Covid-19 protocols, resulting in Covid-19 transmission.
Having a surveyor’s watchful eye to detect illegal activities also sends a strong signal to barge and vessel crew not to undertake any intended non-compliance, states VPS Senior Sales Manager.
