Lessons Learnt After the Prestige

Response Methods and Equipment on the Coast

Eugene Clonan

THE IRISH COAST GUARD

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PRINCESS EVA INCIDENTPRINCESS EVA INCIDENTDonegal BayDonegal Bay

Princess Eva

• Outline– Lead up to the incident– Irish Legislation regarding the response– Actions taken by the Irish Coast Guard– Risk Assessment– STS operation– Tank cleaning and repairs– Sailing

Domestic Legislation• LEGISLATION

• Sea Pollution Act 1991• Merchant Shipping (Salvage & Wreck) Act 1993• Sea Pollution (Amendment) Act 1999

• Marine casualty response –embodies intervention in casualty or salvage situations & protection of the coastline

INITIAL ACTIONS BY IRCG

• Local Authorities informed• MRCC obtain further details from vessel• Aerial surveillance commenced• 3 Coast Guard Staff mobilised to Killybegs• MSD surveyors carry out PSC inspection and detain

vessel. • After further surveys decision was taken to transfer

cargo, bunkers and carry out temporary repairs to enable vessel to sail to port where more permanent repairs to be carried out

• IRCG considered moving the vessel to a more sheltered location, technical advice and weather conditions were against this

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Inspection Survey found the following damage

•8 cracks found on upper deck plates in a transverse direction•Wasted/cracked longitudinals•Local corrosion holes found on deck plate around winches

IRISH COAST GUARDINCIDENT ROOM

KILLYBEGS

RISK ASSESSMENT

IRISH COAST GUARD

Princess EVABALLAST

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PRINCESS EVA

CARGO TANKSVGO LOW SULPHUR 28,430 m3 VGO HIGH SULPHUR 30,256 m3

Total 58,686 m3

Pour Point 25C

Specific Gravity .9970

ROLE OF THE IRISH COAST GUARD

• The Irish Coast Guards (IRCG) role throughout the STS operation and subsequent repairs was passive in command but positive in control.

• Objective: to ensure a safe, successful and pollution free incident by ensuring that the STS operation, tank cleaning, gas freeing and repairs were carried out in a text book operation

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• Actions Directed by IRCG. •• Aerial Surveillance• Tug/tugs in constant attendance• IRCG equipment & response personnel

onscene• OSRL informed for possible assistance• Twice daily meetings with ships

representatives where actions were planned and approved

• The operation was broken down into five phases as follows,

• Phase 1 Arrival of Princess Eva Wednesday 29th January 2003 @1604hrs

• Phase 2 STS transfer• Phase 3 Tank cleaning & gas freeing

MEDIA MANAGEMENT

Regular briefings

Factual accounts

PHASE 2 STS OPERATION

• IRCG directed the Princess Eva to anchor in a sheltered bay. Weather on this part of the coast can be severe in winter.

• STS operations would not be permitted in this area under normal circumstances

•• Detailed risk assessment carried out and followed up with an Oil

Spill Contingency Plan for the STS operation.• IRCG required plans to cover all possible emergencies providing

for a comprehensive response.• IRCG ensured that all guidelines and safety precautions were

adhered to.•• STS operation divided into two parts•• The actual STS operation & oil spill contingency planning

STS OPERATIONIRCG Requirements:Second tug during transhipmentPollution response/recovery vessel with experienced personnel to deploy equipment and recover

• STS plan outlining operational parameters, procedures and safety for preparation approach discharge and breakaway as per Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) STS Guide

STS PLAN• Discharge Plan –Discharge rates-monitor shear

forces and bending moments reflecting Plate erosion and Breaches

• Representative list of equipment Details of Yokahama fenders 4 x 6.5mx3.3m Mooring EquipmentCargo hoses 2x 8”

• Pressure test certs for discharge lines

STS PLANOperational Safety Checklists• Pre-fixture information for each ship (between ship operator/charterer and organiser• Before operations commence Check list• Before run-in and Mooring• Before cargo transfer• Before unmooring

• Safety during cargo transfer• Emergency Contingency Planning• Oil Spill Contingency Plan

Oil Spill ContingencyRisk Analysis

• Collision during mooring and unmooring. The largest wingtankcontains 7800m3 of cargo.

•• During the STS operation the deck fractures on the Princess

Eva could worsen. Two wing tanks contain 15,300 m3 of cargo.•• During the STS transfer the discharge/loading hose(s) or

pipelines could rupture or part on both the Princess Eva and/or transfer vessels. The estimated pumping rate will be 2000m3 per hour.

•Fire or other Emergencies

•Tank Overflow could occur on the transferring or transfer vessels

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1st STS OPERATION Bro JupiterSwedish 8,800GRT

Commenced 12/2 5hrs 4,000m3 Hsulphur

CARGO PUMP ROOM PRINCESS EVA

2nd STS Operation Princess Pia–Panama 34,000GRT–Commenced 19/2 42hrs 23,981m3 HS

25,536m3 LS

PHASE 3 TANK CLEANING GAS FREEING

• Tank cleaning Plan• The sequence of tank cleaning was from

forrad to aft, total time for tank washing and stripping 48hrs,• Hot SW wash Temp 65-70C (2cycles as required)• Tanks to be kept inerted during tank cleaning • Slops to stbd slop tank

• Copy of company operations procedures

• As per ISGOTT• International Safety Guide for oil Tankers and Terminals

GAS FREEING• Vessel ventilated

• each cargo tank cleaned with her • own water driven fans•

PHASE 4 REPAIRS

• Plan of repairs, proposed procedures, materials and equipment

• Hot work permits, enclosed space entry in accordance with ISGOTT

• Daily Safety meetings

Princess Eva REPAIRS

Indicating position of doubler plates

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Repairs• Firm contracted to carry out repairs• Foreman , engineer & 10 welders/steel workers• Equipment

Diesel electric welding plants• Deck scrunters• 17 doubler plates @ ¾ ton each• Gas free technician

• Daily Safety meetings Master & Crew• IRCG• Repair Co• Class• Gas Free Tech• Managers Rep

Scafolding inside tanks

PHASE 5 SAILING

• Letter of undertaking S P Act ’91 sect 26 (expences incurred by the minister).

• Repairs Inspected by NKK and MSD surveyors • Issued with conditional safety construction cert

by class• Ship ballast conditions employed for voyage to

repair yard in Argentina; examined and accepted.

• Detention lifted and Princess Eva Sailed on Friday the 7th of March. Routing thru’ Irish Sea.

ConclusionsThe Alarm phase was satisfactory

The overall operation was conducted in a satisfactory manner

The Co-operation with the EU Monitoring Information centre was very satisfactory

In Ireland, no ships are available for counter pollution response in the near shore or off shore area and are sourced internationally.

The Coast Guard uses its own SAR helicopters for aerial surveillance and can call on Defence Force CASA aircraft (No remote sensing eq) for fixed wing surveillance. IRCG has the possibility to contract specialised oil pollution surveillance aircraft and has done so in the past.

Ireland has at present no dedicated 24hr ETV capability but contracted an ASD 50BP tug from Shannon Foynes Port at short notice.

Mobilisation of shore response equipment and personnel to site worked well

• Command and control of the operation by the IRCG worked well

RecommendationsTest Local Authority Contingency Plans

Carry out regular exercises to test Irish Coast Guard Incident Command System in dealing with large marine pollution and salvage incidents.

Although the structures for the National Contingency Plan (NCP) are in place, pursue provision of ETV and Aerial Surveillance capability.

To Conclude:

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