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22 June 2006
SCOTSMAN - OIL BOOM GIVES RESCUE BOAT FIRM ADDED BUOYANCY AID
The North Sea's emergency response and rescue vessel sector has signalled its confidence in the long-term economic wellbeing of the province after embarking on one of its biggest investment programmes of recent years.
Operators have placed orders worth in excess of £140 million in an ongoing modernisation programme involving more than 20 new vessels.
The move has been fuelled by the upturn in the North Sea and the belief among operators that these standby vessels with an immediate response service will remain a central feature of the North Sea safety culture for many years.
There has been a series of new-build announcements over the past year by members of the trade association - the Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel Association (ERRVA).
Craig Group division North Star Shipping has placed orders for eight vessels, while Viking Offshore Services has announced the construction of six new vessels, with an option for a further three.
Esvagt is also building four new vessels, adding to the two delivered in the past 12 months, and Boston Putford Offshore Safety is having two new vessels constructed. Vroon Offshore, ERRVA's newest member, has ordered four new vessels, the first of which is due for delivery in 2007. In addition, BUE Marine has an order in for a vessel due to be delivered later this year to support its operations in other provinces.
John Wilson, chairman of ERRVA, says: "These investments reflect both the current upturn in North Sea activity levels and the confidence of rescue and recovery vessel operators in the province's long-term prospects.
"They indicate a sense of stability and optimism in our sector generally. An ongoing programme of modernisation is key to ensuring the sector is equipped to meet the needs of the offshore industry for many years to come, and to position members to exploit opportunities in other geographical markets as they arise."
The association stresses that the emergency response and rescue vessel sector is adapting to meet the changing circumstances of the industry it serves.
"There will always be a requirement for such vessels as long as manned installations remain the focus of offshore exploration and production - not least in emergency circumstances when weather conditions may preclude the deployment of other rescue services.
"And as the infrastructure grows older, weather profiles continue to change and the risk of human error remains, it is critically important that rescue and recovery vessels respond.
"Our organisation is maturing into one of the finest rescue services of its kind in the world, but we can never be complacent. The invesment is also helping to attract a new generation of personnel into the sector."
ERRVA says the speed of response of individual crews is critical when they are called into action. "Crews are trained to respond decisively and professionally in fast-moving situations," says Wilson.
"The typical water temperature in the North Sea means that it is vital to recover casualties as quickly as possible and begin administering treatment. One of our vessels, while on close standby, is capable of recovering people from the water within four minutes - a performance standard that is practiced on a regular basis."
Around 3,000 seafarers are employed on the 122 vessels deployed on stations throughout the year, in all weathers. The ships also fulfil a series of other roles, including pollution control assistance and anti-collision monitoring.
Wilson adds: "ERRVA has been in existence now for over 20 years but the role of its members is not a prominent one unless they are called into action.
"Yet it is these ships and their crews that are the first on scene in any major incident offshore, providing the front line of the rescue services that offshore operators require in the event of an emergency."