Bourbon, International leader in marine services for modern offshore

Under completely safe conditions Les Abeilles International carries out the delicate operation of pumping fuel oil from MV Rokia Delmas container vessel, which ran aground off the coast of the Island of Ré

Paris, November 6, 2006

Mobilizing all responders, night and day for more than a week prevented any hydrocarbon pollution from occurring during the delicate operation of pumping out 560 tons of fuel oil from M.V. Rokia Delmas, which ran aground on 24 October near the Island of Ré following engine failure. As soon as the report was received of the wreck of the 185 meter container vessel originating from Vigo, Spain, and belonging to the company CMA-CGM, three BOURBON vessels chartered by the French National Navy - Abeille Languedoc, then Abeille Bourbon and finally Alcyon - were successively dispatched to the site to prevent any risk of pollution.

Les Abeilles International was quickly ordered by CMA-CGM, on behalf of Delmas, to take charge as project manager, under an assistance contract.

"Our job was to gather and coordinate all the expertise of the best salvage crews. Our objective is always the same: zero accidents, zero pollution. We analysed the situation on site and responded in the most appropriate manner to the constraints reported, by imposing drastic safety rules to protect people and the environment. Our 25 years of experience are essential in situations like this," says Charles Claden, Senior Salvage Master Les Abeilles International, Operations Manager and Captain of Abeille Bourbon.

Above and beyond the resources immediately provided by the Prefecture (Préfecture maritime de l'Atlantique), Les Abeilles International called on sub-contractors, including SMIT Salvage, with which it had already worked during sensitive salvages like Stamy in Dunkerque in 1985, Ming Fortune and Happy Fellow in 1995 and Capetan Tzannis in 1997.

When the responders first arrived, because of the container vessel's position in shallow water, towing was out of the question. Once the site was secured by Alcyon, a Bourbon Offshore Surf anti-pollution vessel, which deployed a double anti-pollution floating boom, along with Abeille Bourbon, the forward holds were pumped out and all the fuel oil was recovered under extremely arduous conditions. The poor weather conditions and the large tidal ranges made it even harder to access the vessel. In particular the salvage crews had to work aboard a freighter listing 18° with a slippery deck, posing an ever-present danger.

Ten days of continuous assistance were to prove necessary to pump out all the fuel oil so as to prevent any pollution, with the utmost respect for the interests of the local communities and the charterer. The ability to analyse the situation, mastery of the solutions recommended and above all, coordinating the crews and the technical resources proved to be the critical factors in the success of this operation. Les Abeilles International Salvage Unit chartered and gathered together all the specialized personnel and the necessary resources to work under the best safety conditions and prevent any accidental pollution, i.e.:

• More than 10 vessels and barges dispatched to the site: tugs, crane barges, sheerlegs, tankers, pilot boats and personnel transfer boats, anti-pollution tanker, etc.
• More than 65 professionals mobilized: salvage teams, crews, divers, liaison officers, naval architects, engineers, chemists, etc.
• Underwater diving equipment, cutting, pumping and drying equipment, surface anti-pollution equipment, communications systems, analysis equipment, etc.

As Christian Quillivic, Managing Director Les Abeilles International, points out: "The expertise of our salvage crews, along with the technical nature of our exceptional vessels, with their innovative design and proven reliability, ensure the protection of the environment of the French coast on a daily basis. But the jobs that really put our expertise to the test, that call forth the full potential of each responder are the assistance and salvage operations. For the past 25 years, our tugs and their crews have been able to prevent a number of major catastrophes. Each and every time, including during the Rokia Delmas operation, the energy of all our responders was enlisted to focus on a common objective: preserving the environment."

The Salvage Unit is now working on removing forty cubic meters of light fuel (diesel) located in a double bottom under the engine, an operation requiring an even greater degree of technical expertise. Pending the unloading of the containers, scheduled for Tuesday, 7 November, the cargo will be secured to resist harsh tidal and weather conditions: repositioning of the mooring and installing a 1,000 meter tug on the stern of the vessel.

November 3rd Press Release