MARINE SALVAGE
December 2005 Vol. 110 No.12
November 2012 Vol. 117 No. 11
opinion
BY TIM BEAvER, PRESIdENT, AMERICAN SALvAGE ASSOCIATION
places of Refuge, in ouR Back YaRd?
W
hile it may not be a burning issue at this moment, it is inevitable that there will come a time when the hard choice will have to be made; to bring a leaking, crippled and unstable vessel into safe refuge for salvage repairs, protecting the environment from a greater disaster by intentionally risking the environmental safety of a specific harbor of refuge. Through the policies of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), we have an excellent planning and decision making tool: the U.S. Coast Guard Places of Refuge Policy. However, like any tool, this policy needs to be exercised and used in order for it to be most effective. Particular attention should be paid to the provisions regarding Contingency Planning/Pre-Incident Surveys which greatly enhance the ability to make good risk-based decisions during an emergency situation. With the new salvage regulations in place for tank vessels, and with the certain issuance of similar regulations requiring the pre-contracting of qualified salvage operators for non-tank vessels, we are now arguably better prepared than ever before to respond to marine casualties. Further, we have in place a huge infrastructure of oil spill cleanup organizations with manpower and equipment at the ready to respond once oil is in the water. The ultimate intended result of all this investment, planning and organization is the preservation of life, conservation of property, and the
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protection of our precious maritime environment. TAKING A LOOK AT HISTORY The casualties involving the M/T Erika (Dec. 1999), M/T Castor (Dec. 2000) and the M/T Prestige (Nov. 2002) led to the issuance of the policies by both the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the USCG related to the places of refuge issue. • M/T Erica–On December 8, 1999 while sailing from Dunkerque to Livorno with approximately 31,000 tons of fuel oil, the vessel ran into a heavy storm while entering the Bay of Biscay. On December 13, she broke in two and sank, spilling thousands of tons of fuel oil into the sea. During the course of this, the ship was denied entry to the French port of Saint Nazaire. • M/T Castor–In December of 2000, the Castor was navigating the Mediterranean Sea on a voyage from Constanza to Lagos. The tanker held 29,500 tons of gasoline when it encountered severe winter weather including a force 12 gale. Crippled by the heavy seas, the Castor sought shelter from Algeria, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain and Tunisia. All denied her safe harbor for cargo discharge and repairs. The vessel was eventually lightered at sea. • M/T Prestige– On November 13, 2002,
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72 MARINE LOG NOVEMBER 2012
while the Prestige was carrying 77,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil, one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm northwest of Spain. The captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, with the expectation that the vessel would be brought into harbor. Local authorities brought pressure to bear and the ship was ordered to head northwest. Reportedly after pressure from the French government, the vessel was once again forced to change its course and head southwards into Portuguese waters in order to avoid endangering France’s southern coast. Fearing for its own shore, the Portuguese authorities promptly ordered its navy to intercept the ailing vessel and prevent it from approaching further. On November 19, six days after the first call for help, the ship broke in half and sank, causing a major oil spill. USCG and IMO guidelines have long been published, however, these policies have yet to be tested in American waters during a real life situation. It is essential that we in the salvage community remain vigilant regarding this important issue, and work with all concerned to make sure that when this does happen on our coasts, all stakeholders are prepared to make the difficult decision to expose our own back yard for the greater benefit of saving human life and protecting our coastal environment. ML
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