U.S. Navy Ship Salvage Manual Volume 6 - Oil Spill Response

S0300-A6-MAN-060draft. When the sorbent has absorbed a sufficient amount of oil, the boom is removed from thewater and transported for recycling or disposal.Sorbent boom can be used in the waterway as an oil collector. The boom is towed through thecontained oil, absorbs the maximum amount of oil and is disposed of ashore. Practical applicationsof sorbent booms include containment and absorption of spills and effluent discharges insmall canals, ditches, streams, rivers and around or under terminal docks and piers.4-2.3 Boom Accessories. Boom accessories are hardware designed to handle, connect, inflate,deploy and retrieve boom. Other accessories are used after a spill to clean, repair, restow andtransport boom.4-2.3.1 Boom Connection Standards. During a large oil spill, several different types of boommay comprise a containment system. Standardized boom connectors are essential to connectingthese different boom types. ASTM F 962-86 outlines the design criteria and requirements, desirablefeatures and material characteristics for boom connectors with the following guidelines:• Universal hook engagement design.• Connector length not be the limiting factor for freeboard or skirt.• Minimum tensile strength of 300 lbs/in2 or 54kg/cm2.• Different length connectors should possess adequate strength, minimize oil spillage, besexless and directionless, not reduce freeboard, be full boom height, and not impair stabilityand require no special tools for assembly. Figure 4-4 illustrates various boomconnection fittings.• Features should include ease of handling, lightweight materials, connectable in thewater, easily cleaned, safe and easy to install or remove.• Materials shall be corrosion-resistant in seawater or designed with galvanic protectionand may be of any kind as long as the design criteria, requirements and desirable featuresare fulfilled.4-2.3.2 T-Connectors. T-connectors allow boom to be connected at 90-degree angles whichgives more flexibility in the configuration of boom in permanently installed pierside boom systems.T-connectors also allow smaller ships requiring boom to attach in the middle of a long runof boom.4-2.3.3 Sliding Connectors. Sliding connectors compensate for tidal rise and fall. The boom iskept in place with sliding plates or shoes that ride freely up and down stanchions or vertical runnersfixed along the pier. Weighted lines attached to the pier and lowered over the floating boomcan hold the boom in place effectively during tidal changes.4-8