Reportedly, they are capable of faster oil soill response
Two environmental safety ships have been put into operation at the port of Novorossiysk today, 28 January 2022, IAA PortNews correspondent reports.
Oil garbage disposal vessels ordered by Express Service were built in China last year. One ship will be owned by Express Service and will operate in the port of Novorossiysk with the other to be handled over to Marine Rescue Service for operation in the port of Taman.
“Those ships are well suited for addressing tasks regularly set at the port of Novorossiysk. Besides, they comply with Order No 523 of RF Transport Ministry in the part of requirements on oil spill response equipment. I believe, the new ships will be 100% successful”, says Stanislav Uryupin, Harbour Master of the port of Novorossiysk.
According to Yury Russkin, General Director of Express Service, the newbuilds can perform the same operations as other ships but more of the same and with a higher level of self-efficiency.
“A conventional scheme of oil spill response activities implies boom containment. Two ships are needed for that purpose: one to collect oil products and one to place booms. Our new ships are self-efficient. They hulls are shaped as a catamaran and oil products are collected between the hulls. So, everything is done more quickly” explained Yury Russkin.
Besides, the new ships an operate in conditions of up to 6 points, Each of the ship has two 100-meter long boom lines.
The ships were designed in China according to the specifications of Express Service. The construction works were completed within a year by the delivery to Russia was delayed by half a year because of the pandemic.
According to Oleg Zuikov, Deputy Head of the Black Sea Ports Administration, it is essential to have such ships deployed in the Black Sea area as there are numerous resorts, wildlife and protected areas along the Black Sea coast and any oil spill can be detrimental for that unique nature.
The ship’s length is – 34.5 m, width - 11 m, draft – 2.5 m allowing to enter small water areas and estuarine harbors.
Express Service currently numbers 4 ships. Apart from the new vessel named NMS-1, its fleet includes tanker Foton, tugboat Delovoy-5 and M/V Vladimir Kuleshov. The latter to can take part on boom-laying.
Express Service LLC was established over a decade ago. Its professional emergency response unit was set up three years ago. As of today, the company operates only in the port of Novorossiysk but it is looking into expanding its area of operation to the ports of Taman, Kavkaz, Anapa and Gelendzhik upon re-qualification scheduled for February 2022.
Photos by IAA PortNews
