Council representatives visit Louisiana shipyards

Visitors come away impressed with new construction and Edison Chouest Offshore personnel

New information shared with the Council along with tours of Edison Chouest facilities has begun to alleviate some concerns related to the change of marine services contractors in Prince William Sound, some concerns remain.

During the May visit, the Council observed the massive tugs under construction in the shipyard. Left to right: Mike Day of Alyeska, Board member Patience Andersen Faulkner, staff member Roy Robertson, committee volunteer Jim Herbert, and Brett Lirette of Edison Chouest Offshore. Photo by Kate Dugan.

Tours of facilities

Council representatives visited Louisiana in May, June, and October to tour Edison Chouest’s shipyards, headquarters, and training facilities, where the company is building the new escort tugs and response vessels that will make up the Prince William Sound oil spill prevention and response system starting next year.

The visitors were given unfettered access to Edison Chouest’s staff and the opportunity to ask questions about their operations. Those present were impressed with the facilities and the company culture focusing on safety and cultivating competent staff. The quality of workmanship and use of new technologies were also on display.

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Planning for marine services changeover under way

The changeover for the marine services contract for Alyeska is underway. By July of 2018, Edison Chouest Offshore, or ECO, of Louisiana will replace Crowley Marine Services for prevention and response services in Prince William Sound. Crowley Marine Services has held the contract since the creation of Alyeska’s Ship Escort/Response Vessel System after the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Changeover planning

Most of the current activity involves planning for the change. Even though the new vessels will not be arriving in Alaska until next year, ECO will be hiring personnel this year to begin training.

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Report identifies concerns with tanker escort tugs being built for service in Prince William Sound

The council has identified some areas of concern with the design of the new escort and general purpose tugs under construction by Edison Chouest Offshore for use in Prince William Sound. These concerns and recommendations result from a council-commissioned analysis of the tugs by Robert Allan Ltd., a naval architecture and marine engineering company.

Edison Chouest Offshore is taking over the marine services contract for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in the summer of 2018. Crowley Maritime has held the contract since the creation of Alyeska’s Ship Escort/Response Vessel System after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The services provided under this contract include escort tugs, general purpose tugs, oil recovery storage barges, and associated personnel, all of which are key oil spill prevention and response assets for the Valdez Marine Terminal and associated oil tankers operating in Prince William Sound. Robert Allan Ltd. was contracted by the council to review and evaluate drawings and other vessel design materials provided by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. This review includes information that was provided to the council as of December 14, 2016.

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Marine Firefighting Symposium coming to Homer in May 2017

Firefighters participate in a simulated vessel fire exercise during the 2015 Marine Firefighting Symposium at the Valdez harbor. Photo by Zac Schasteen.
Firefighters participated in a simulated vessel fire exercise during the 2015 Marine Firefighting Symposium at the Valdez harbor. Photo by Zac Schasteen.

Update 2/9/17: Registration is now open! See Marine Firefighting Symposium 2017 for more.

The ninth Marine Firefighting Symposium for Land-Based Firefighters is scheduled for May 12-14, 2017 in Homer, Alaska. The council is co-hosting this event with our sister organization, the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Council.

This three-day conference is an industry recognized effort to provide the best available marine firefighting information and practices to shore-based firefighters, using both classroom and field experiences.

The council is pleased to have its nationally renowned training cadre of John Lewis, John Taylor, Don Ryan and Ron Raschio, led by Jeff Johnson, returning to the Symposium. Several of these instructors provided input and material for the land-based shipboard firefighting manual produced by the International Fire Service Training Association. Firefighters and industry participants consistently provide positive comments on the events. The council is able to offer this training at no cost for participants.

More information: Marine Firefighting Symposium 2017

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