Call for volunteers - oil spill in the Bay of Plenty [Archive]

Stirts

7th October 2011, 14:12

As you are probably aware a large container vessel has struck Astrolabe reef 12 nautical miles off Tauranga Harbour and is leaking large amounts of oil into the water.

The NZ Wildlife Health Centre is calling for volunteers to assist in the recovery and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife. They are looking for significant numbers of volunteers both immediately and over a prolonged period of time. You will be paid for this work and as such will be subject to their health and safety plan.

They are looking for a wide range of skills including field biologists, helping with the recovery and rehabilitation of birds, driving a vehicle to transport oiled wildlife, administrative tasks. These are just examples of how you can help. There will be something you can do!

Please call Jim Lilley on 0275 387 566 and he will provide you with further information on how you can help.

I understand the current situation is there are a number of oiled birds (dead and alive) that have been recovered and an oiled seal on Papamoa beach. They are gearing up to respond to a significant number of animals being oiled so please do respond if you can.

nodrog

7th October 2011, 14:19

sweet, i need a new oil seal

Stirts

7th October 2011, 14:24

sweet, i need a new oil seal

I can tell from all those germie-jims under the rim.

Hopeful Bastard

7th October 2011, 16:51

Where are the sidecar fellas.... Those guys sure know how to make one hell of a spill.. They should know how to clean it up and refloat the boat :shutup::innocent:

:chase::dodge:

Genie

7th October 2011, 17:12

Damn sad state of affairs...but I'm left wondering why they didnt' get some flotation soakie things in the water yesterday..:facepalm:

All the best up there...I can't make it, one legged an' all.

pete376403

7th October 2011, 22:10

This thing is going to turn into another Pike River - fuck about until its too late to do anything.
But there will be a hell of an enquiry/royal commision/etc afterwards.

Usarka

8th October 2011, 08:04

This thing is going to turn into another Pike River - fuck about until its too late to do anything.
But there will be a hell of an enquiry/royal commision/etc afterwards.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5752134/Navy-on-alert-for-oil-disaster

Nah bro, things are speeding along. The crash was 4 days ago and:

the navy has just been put on standby
international cleanup experts are either on their way or on standby
the prime minister is flying to tauranga tomorrow

All under control.

:sarcasm:

Madness

8th October 2011, 09:01

Damn sad state of affairs...but I'm left wondering why they didnt' get some flotation soakie things in the water yesterday..:facepalm:

They put the supply of these out to tender, closing date 31/10/2011. Lets just hope the successful bidder has stock & isn't just going to order them off Ebay once the paperwork is signed.

:facepalm:

meteor

8th October 2011, 09:17

So why don't they [Refineries and Oil companies/distributors] have oil containment booms that can just be hired, used straight away. Soon as a marine incident occurs, get them on the way... the booms and a oil suck up dredge... So simple.

mashman

8th October 2011, 09:24

Good luck with the clean up folks... keep an eye on each other just in case that Corexit 9500 shit isn't as safe as BP/Nalco says (fuck you sky is falling people, just in case)

Flip

8th October 2011, 19:50

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5752134/Navy-on-alert-for-oil-disaster

Nah bro, things are speeding along. The crash was 4 days ago and:

the navy has just been put on standby
international cleanup experts are either on their way or on standby
the prime minister is flying to tauranga tomorrow

All under control.

:sarcasm:

So nobody is going to anything until the gas levels go back up and there is another explosion, then the experts can tell you there was another explosion, fuck sorry wrong page.

oldrider

8th October 2011, 23:05

So nobody is going to anything until the gas levels go back up and there is another explosion, then the experts can tell you there was another explosion, fuck sorry wrong page.

Same process principal and result! ... You are not really too far off course! (Sigh, which is more than can be said for that bloody ship!) :facepalm:

KiWiP

8th October 2011, 23:33

awa355

9th October 2011, 11:12

FJRider

9th October 2011, 11:37

Better to have a navigator that can read a chart in the first place.

It's the Skipper that will bear the brunt of it MOST ...

jonbuoy

9th October 2011, 20:00

Even if they can't be bothered plotting on a chart a Type approved ecdis isn't that much compared to running costs. Unless they had a gyro or steering gear failure not many excuses for it.

Stirts

10th October 2011, 06:56

With Tauranga being a major port, I would have thought they would have a response unit set up and on the 'ready' in the port.

At least we now know what all these retired national MP's will be doing after the election, sitting on the committee that will be set up to enquire into the grounding. picking up a cool $75,000 to meet twice a month and come up with the finding, that it was all due to the ship going off course.

Unbelievable as it is, full legal responsibility for the salvage and clean-up operations are still technically the legal responsibility of the Shipping Company, who have appointed Svitzer as salvor.
:gob:

But I would hazard to guess that this foreign owned company with a financial bottom line will do things on the cheap.

The Government can take over full legal responsibility for the salvage as well as the clean-up if the Shipping Company’s operations are deemed ‘inadequate’

“Section 248 of the Maritime New Zealand Act gives Maritime New Zealand the power to take control of the salvage, and we think the Government should exercise this power,” said Mr Hughes.

WE should be ones to take full control of this situation and hand them the big fat bill END OF FARKING STORY!!!

As a side note:
Jim Lilley said the response from Tauranga locals has been great, at present they are holding off putting together a rescue response group of volunteers until the end of the weekend.

Jim has had over 500 calls on his cellphone :woohoo: :niceone: BUT please call the 0800 645 774 to put your name forward to help with the rescue of any oiled wildlife.

Swoop

10th October 2011, 07:47

A rather pathetic reaction from the authorities to this incident. The ship hit on Wednesday ffs!

Unbelievable as it is, full legal responsibility for the salvage and clean-up operations are still technically the legal responsibility of the Shipping Company...
Presumably they can send the bill to the owners of the foreshore and seabed.
How dare the maori's put their rocks in a shipping channel!

Stirts

10th October 2011, 08:54

How dare the maori's put their rocks in a shipping channel!

For shore!

mashman

12th October 2011, 16:34

I see they're bringing in a floating crane from Singapore to remove the containers... wonder how long that'll take to get here... in the meantime, might I suggest something like

http://www.strategypage.com/gallery/images/CH-53E-Super-Stallion-heavy-lifting.jpg

Korumba

12th October 2011, 17:44

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1404402

pete376403

12th October 2011, 18:26

I see they're bringing in a floating crane from Singapore to remove the containers... wonder how long that'll take to get here... in the meantime, might I suggest something like

I suppose there is a good reason why they couldn't tow the Hikatea up from Wellington?

Ocean1

12th October 2011, 18:40

I suppose there is a good reason why they couldn't tow the Hikatea up from Wellington?

Don't think it's currently in survey, and it's not capable of handling that job anyway.

Besides, the fuel's far more of a problem. They need to transfer the fuel to a bunker tender and I believe there's a one standing by. Not so simple though, someone will need to gear up and manhandle a fucking big hose through a hatch to the bottom of the tank. Through the HFO. I don't envy them.

buggsubique

12th October 2011, 18:46

Presumably they can send the bill to the owners of the foreshore and seabed.
How dare the maori's put their rocks in a shipping channel!

Sigh... naff comments really

mashman

12th October 2011, 19:02

Besides, the fuel's far more of a problem. They need to transfer the fuel to a bunker tender and I believe there's a one standing by. Not so simple though, someone will need to gear up and manhandle a fucking big hose through a hatch to the bottom of the tank. Through the HFO. I don't envy them.

I thought there were hazardous materials on board too?

+1 on no fun getting the fuel off... just send the local boys around with they syphoning kits :shifty:

Usarka

12th October 2011, 19:43

There's a container full of astrolabe (yum) wine onboard.

But even more ironic than the reef sharing the same name, astrolabe is also a navigation instrument (that predates the sextant).

Ocean1

12th October 2011, 20:44

I thought there were hazardous materials on board too?

That's what I heard in the news "shorts" too. The quote was "might be" hazardous materials on board.

In fact I'd be surprised if there wasn't, given what's considered "hazardous" nowadays. But, y'now there's a reason they call 'em "containers", even if they're not airtight they'll stop large quantities of most stuff escaping.

I see they've taken to attaching the word "toxic" to "oil" to describe the fuel.

mashman

12th October 2011, 20:55

That's what I heard in the news "shorts" too. The quote was "might be" hazardous materials on board.

In fact I'd be surprised if there wasn't, given what's considered "hazardous" nowadays. But, y'now there's a reason they call 'em "containers", even if they're not airtight they'll stop large quantities of most stuff escaping.

I see they've taken to attaching the word "toxic" to "oil" to describe the fuel.

"Among the more than 1300 containers on the grounded ship are 11 containers of dangerous goods, including four of the hazardous substance ferro-silicon which is flammable if it comes into contact with water, Radio New Zealand reported." (http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5757806/Rena-captains-sobriety-questioned)... praps t'would burn off some of the oil?

I guess the fuel is toxic, but then what isn't these days... although from what I've read, meh, that corexit stuff is supposedly more toxic than the oil... go figure.

Ocean1

12th October 2011, 21:12

the hazardous substance ferro-silicon which is flammable if it comes into contact with water

Flammable eh? In water?
How many times have I told you about listening to journalists?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrosilicon

that corexit stuff is supposedly more toxic than the oil... go figure.

It's a surfactant, dishwashing liquid without the dilutants. If you drank enough of it you'd probably be in trouble, I suppose that makes it toxic.

Madness

12th October 2011, 21:14

I got some of the oil stuck to my shoes today, sticky as shit it is. It's a sad sight indeed on the beach and bloody scary to think of what's still to come.

jonbuoy

12th October 2011, 21:17

Don't think it's currently in survey, and it's not capable of handling that job anyway.

Besides, the fuel's far more of a problem. They need to transfer the fuel to a bunker tender and I believe there's a one standing by. Not so simple though, someone will need to gear up and manhandle a fucking big hose through a hatch to the bottom of the tank. Through the HFO. I don't envy them.

Can they not couple into the fuel transfer pumps they already have?

mashman

12th October 2011, 21:24

Flammable eh? In water?
How many times have I told you about listening to journalists?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrosilicon

It's a surfactant, dishwashing liquid without the dilutants. If you drank enough of it you'd probably be in trouble, I suppose that makes it toxic.

Good job you're around to keep me on the straight and narra... I guess they moved from boring hydrogen to the drama of fire at the click of a pen :laugh:

Ocean1

12th October 2011, 21:32

Can they not couple into the fuel transfer pumps they already have?

The ship's fuel tanks are designed to be filled, not emptied, there's check valves in the lines. If the ship's at all typical the only way to pump fuel out is to drop a suction hose through a hatch at deck level. If they can get it open. Chances are there's shit in the way under that too, ladders, internal pipework etc.

One way to deal with that is for someone to get suited up and take a hose to the bottom of the tank, feeling their way down. The weather needs to be a lot better than the forecast for any of that to happen.

Coolz

12th October 2011, 22:07

Why dont they just set fire to the bloody thing?

jonbuoy

13th October 2011, 00:21

The ship's fuel tanks are designed to be filled, not emptied, there's check valves in the lines. If the ship's at all typical the only way to pump fuel out is to drop a suction hose through a hatch at deck level. If they can get it open. Chances are there's shit in the way under that too, ladders, internal pipework etc.

One way to deal with that is for someone to get suited up and take a hose to the bottom of the tank, feeling their way down. The weather needs to be a lot better than the forecast for any of that to happen.

Is there not usually a way to transfer between tanks, storage to settling settling to day tanks, tank to tanks for balast and free surface. I know the ship I work on can, although we don't run on heavy stuff.

jonbuoy

13th October 2011, 01:51

I see they're bringing in a floating crane from Singapore to remove the containers... wonder how long that'll take to get here... in the meantime, might I suggest something like

I cant see it taking less than 1 hour per container, 1300 containers onboard thats a long time to unload, not to mention the dangers at the angle its at now. They use the wharf cranes to remove the hatches to get to the containers below the top deck which the chopper probably can't lift.

awa355

13th October 2011, 05:40

A story in this mornings Herald tells of a CHCH man with his family's belongings, his tools and motorbike in a container on the Rena. They were in the earthquake and decided to make a new start in Aussie.

He says the anguish of knowing that all they own is likely to be lost. is pretty hard to face.

Seeing a story of sort of hits home just how much more tragic this is for anyone with a personal involvement.

I hope the poor buggar gets his container off loaded.

Usarka

13th October 2011, 06:39

It's a surfactant, dishwashing liquid without the dilutants. If you drank enough of it you'd probably be in trouble, I suppose that makes it toxic.

A bird on the radio yesterday who was heavily involved in the gulf spill was saying that the dispersement stuff makes the oil sink which can have more significant long term impacts.

Ocean1

13th October 2011, 06:42

Is there not usually a way to transfer between tanks, storage to settling settling to day tanks, tank to tanks for balast and free surface. I know the ship I work on can, although we don't run on heavy stuff.

Yes, they'll normally be able to shuffle fuel around, and that might help get it further from any damage, (if they've still got power on board) but it's not much help getting it off the ship. I believe it's very heavy oil too, difficult to move unheated.

Ocean1

13th October 2011, 06:47

A bird on the radio yesterday who was heavily involved in the gulf spill was saying that the dispersement stuff makes the oil sink which can have more significant long term impacts.

She's right, if the fuel's escaping into the environment the best place for it is on a beach, it's the easiest place to collect it from. Some of it's going to sink anyway, the detergent just accelerates the seperation of the heavy bits from the light bits.

Looks weird on the bottom, like mercury.

jonbuoy

13th October 2011, 07:19

Yes, they'll normally be able to shuffle fuel around, and that might help get it further from any damage, (if they've still got power on board) but it's not much help getting it off the ship. I believe it's very heavy oil too, difficult to move unheated.

I'm just surprised they can't flange up to the existing transfer piping saves the safety problems of opening a tank.

Swoop

13th October 2011, 08:45

Sigh... naff comments really
I'm here all week! Try the veal.

I guess you will not like this (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/142983-Oil-Spill?p=1130174268#post1130174268) either...

Ocean1

13th October 2011, 08:47

I'm just surprised they can't flange up to the existing transfer piping saves the safety problems of opening a tank.

You might be right, depends on the ship I guess. I know that's not how it's been done in several other instances.

mashman

13th October 2011, 11:55

I cant see it taking less than 1 hour per container, 1300 containers onboard thats a long time to unload, not to mention the dangers at the angle its at now. They use the wharf cranes to remove the hatches to get to the containers below the top deck which the chopper probably can't lift.

I've not doubt once the crane arrives that it'll be relatively quick, but I was referring to the length of time it'll take to get the crane here in the first place. Fair enough that they'll not be able to lift the ones below deck, but they aren't the ones being washed over and I'm kinda surprised they haven't tried to air lift the top ones off. Could be that they don't want to remove any weight off it, dunno.