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TECHNOLOGY - SHIP TO SHIP TRANSFER
STS expert expands
empire and gets into gas
This was achieved by
the purchase of
Melbourne Marine
Services, which now
trades under the banner of SPT
Marine Services (SPTMS).
Skaugen's Simon Duncan
explained that the purchase of
Melbourne Marine gave the
company entry into markets that
had been previously identified for
expansion and was viewed as a
long term strategic acquisition.
SPTMS is active in the UK,
northwest Europe, Mediterranean
and West Africa. Ian Laws
remained as managing director
along with all his employees.
One of the areas that had been
under investigation for some time
is the Firth of Forth. Plans have
been submitted to the local
authorities with the backing of
Forth Ports for the development
of both STS procedures and oil
spill contingency plans. Duncan
said that SPTMS is hopeful of
gaining the necessary approvals
to go ahead with the project.
He said: " We feel that this
location is ideal from a number of
different perspectives namely - it
is a sheltered and protected
anchorage offering a high level of
reliability in terms of conducting
operations on an uninterrupted
basis, the location should attract
business opportunities, not only
from the Baltic region, but also
from elsewhere within
northwestern Europe.
"All operations will be
conducted in accordance with the
approved STS manual and
existing ship vetting and
suitability standards," he asserted.
He also explained that one
advantage that SPTMS has is a
well established naval
architecture division.
The largest company involved in shipto-ship
transfers Houston-based Skaugen
Petrotrans has been operating in the US
Gulf/Gulf of Mexico for many years and
last year expanded its horizons.
LNG STS
Last year was another milestone
for Skaugen in that in August the
company completed the first two
LNG lightering operations. The
cargo was transferred between
two of Excelerate Energy's LNG
regasification vessels in the Gulf
of Mexico.
While the two cargoes were
relatively small parcels of
liquefied natural gas, it allowed
for the verification process with
regards to the cargo hoses, quick
disconnect/dry break couplings for
the hoses, vapour management
and other necessary items.
Both operations were
completed without incident in the
presence of SIGGTO
representatives. Skaugen
Petrotrans is a member of the
working group currently
developing a LNG STS guide.
Duncan explained that the
company had put a lot of time
and resources in the development
of LNG transfers and feel that it
is well positioned going forward
as interest grows in this particular
industry segment. This is as a
Trial LNGC STS transfers took place last year in the Gulf of Mexico.
result of the growing number of
offshore LNG terminals that are
either approved or being
considered worldwide.
This month, the first full cargo
STS trial transfer of 132,000 cu
m LNG took place at Scapa
Flow, Orkney Islands for
Excelerate Energy using the
Exmar LNGCs - the laden
Excalibur and the receiving
Excelsior. The cargo was
destined for Excelerate's Teesside
regasification receiving terminal.
A risk assessment was carried
out at Scapa Flow last December,
while the three companies
involved - SPTMS, Excelerate
and Exmar - were in the area
during September outlining the
pans to the local council. The
STS transfer was carried out in
daylight, while a number of
observers were invited, including
the MCA, USCG and
environmental regulators.
Scapa Flow has been used for
oil tanker STS since 1980 without
any incidents occurring.
Lightering tankers
Skaugen Petrotrans is also
heavily involved in shuttle
aframaxes used for lightering
purposes. The company currently
has four of the six newbuildings
under construction at Tsuneishi.
These are 105,000 dwt purpose
built lightering aframax tankers,
of which the first SPT Champion
is scheduled for delivery in May
of this year.
These newbuildings will
incorporate features that will
enhance the overall safety ofthe
vessel and STS operations,
Duncan claimed. They will be
fitted with fender davits,
enhanced manoeuvrability
incorporating a bow thruster, 70
degree rudder and ultra slow
speed main diesel engines,
increased deballasting capability,
increased loading rate, hose
handling crane with an extended
reach boom and a cargo loading
station in the wheelhouse.
The first four will be
technically managed for SPT by
Bergshav management of
Grimstad, while the remaining
two will be managed by Teekay
Shipping.
TO
March 2007 • TANKEROperator 39