Counter pollution stockpiles

Updated 23 July 2021

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The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's (MCA) counter pollution equipment and dispersant are distributed across several strategic locations around the UK.

There are three equipment stockpiles, situated in Bristol, Barnsley and Dundee. The location of these sites enables the MCA's contracted pollution responders to reach any part of the coast on the UK mainland and ferry terminals to Northern Ireland within 12 hours. The equipment stockpiles contain oil spill response equipment for use offshore, near to shore and on the shoreline. The equipment is intended primarily for the deflection, containment, recovery and temporary storage of oil. A number of specialist items of ancillary equipment are also kept in the stockpile, including all-terrain vehicles and a portable inert gas generator.

The UK's 1400 tonnes of Type 3 dispersant are currently stored at eight stockpiles across the UK. Two large stockpiles are situated near Nottingham and Glasgow, in close proximity to East Midlands and Prestwick airports respectively, where the dispersant can be loaded on to the MCA's aircraft for aerial spraying campaigns. A small quantity of dispersant is kept at each of these airports to enable rapid mobilisation for a test spray. The remaining four smaller satellite stockpiles in Milford Haven, Belfast, Stornoway and Shetland enable mobilisation to response vessels for ship mounted spray campaigns in those areas. This catalogue gives an overview of the MCA's stockpiles.

The current MCA contract includes two King Air surveillance aircraft operated by 2Excel Aviation.

The remote sensing system can detect and evaluate pollution and conduct surveillance on the sea both day and night, in all weathers. The main components:* Osprey 30 – Surveillance Radar * Optimare LWIR/UV Line Scanner – pollution detector and quantification * MX15 HD – Electro Optical, IR Sensor* Rhotheta SAR DF – Direction Finding of VHF/UHF/EPRB transmissions

Doncaster Airport

These aircraft will provide a temporary additional line of tasking during busy periods and at other times will provide a layer of resilience in the service.

Wescam MX-15 HD Electro Optical (EO) sensor with both wide and narrow fields of view (for day and low light conditions) and Infra-red: * Geo pointing* Auto tracking * Haze penetration * Image enhancement

The Boeing 737 has an installed dispersant spray system. This system can be used for a bulk spray of dispersant as part of a to larger-scale dispersant spraying operation.

This aircraft has a maximum spraying capability of 900 metric tonnes over 48 hours (seasonal – depending on hours of light within a day). The plane would spray from between 150 – 200 ft and can perform a round trip of circa 400 nautical miles with 25 minutes on-scene over a circa 3-hour operation with loading and reloading.

The dispersant spraying system consists of 7 tanks individually palletised. There is a self-contained palletised diesel pump capable of pumping 400 – 800 US gallons per minute through two spray nozzles. The aircraft can carry up to 18m3 of dispersant at any one time and spraying is controlled from the cockpit.

Note – The Boeing 737 is currently not operational but will be within the next few months.

East Midlands Airport, with occasional forward deployment to Prestwick Airport.

The primary purpose of the ETV is to protect the UK coastline from the potential threat of pollution from any vessel.

Mobilisation within half an hour of being called.

Built to RINA class it has fifi1 and DP2 capabilities. Propulsion follows a conventional two engine, twin controllable-pitch propeller configuration, powered by two Wärtsilä 12V M26 main engines developing 7,440kW at 900rpm turning 3,400mm propellers in nozzles. Maneuvering is enhanced with two bow and one stern tunnel thrusters.

Deck equipment provision is extensive, dominated by a Fukushima anchor-handling/towing winch with brake capacity 3,922kN, each drum having capacity for 1,500m of 72mm wire.

FFS supply the fire-fighting installation, two centrifugal pumps supplying two 1,200m³/hr dualflow monitors on the wheelhouse roof

The Current Buster system is a containerised inflatable towed skimmer assembly designed to collect, contain and separate spilled oil at speeds ranging from 0.5 to 5 knots in reasonable weather conditions. The systems can be towed between two vessels, or a single vessel utilising a ‘Boom Vane’. The skimmer system is deployed from a hydraulically driven reel, mounted within a 10ft by 8ft frame, fitted with a hydraulic power pack.

Barnsley: 2x CB6, 2x CB4, 2x CB2, Dundee: 1x CB6

A weir skimmer specifically designed to be integrated with either the Current Buster 4 or 6. The skimmer head is deployed and secured in the collection area of the Current Buster, from which an umbilical hose, secured to either the port or starboard side sweeping arm, leads back to a pump and power pack on the deploying vessel.

70m3 per hour

1 system stored at Barnsley

A mechanical skimmer for use offshore on viscous oils (including weathered heavy fuel oil and mousses

The skimmer has two banks of 21 toothed discs driven independently by hydraulic motors which recover oil into a positive displacement pump rated at 100m3/h. The system has a draught of 610mm.

There is a separate control console. The unit is powered by a diesel driven hydraulic power pack.

480 kg Skimmer (without hoses) 104 kg Control Console Total weight 728 kg

1 x Barnsley, 1 x Bristol, 1 x Dundee

Scan trawl systems are for the recovery of floating tar balls, fuel oils, oil contaminated debris and asphalt/bitumen residues from oil or emulsion spills. The skimmer is able to filter the water, trapping the heavy oils in a trawl net when equipped with a heavy-duty cover tube. The entrance net has sweeping wings, which guides oil into the trawl bag. Up to three trawl bags can be positioned behind the entrance net. The system can be rapidly deployed from small workboats and a simple air blower for the inflation of the sweeping wings is required.

Small – 2440mm x 1220mm x 1330mm Large – 1800mm x 1210mm x 2500mm

Small: 162kg Large: 500 kg

2 x Small at Barnsley, 1 x Large at Bristol, 1 x Large at Dundee Specification

The combination skimmer system is designed to recover a range of spilled oils using interchangeable modules. Using the brush module pictured, the system can recover Heavy Oils. By changing the brush module for the disc module, the skimmer can be used for recovery of lighter oils. Also available is a rope-mop and belt module to further increase the versatility of the system. By removing the head assembly altogether, the DOP pump can be used as a standard salvage pump. The unit is driven by a hydraulic power pack, which includes a remote operation station to allow operators a more flexible system layout.

Dependent upon the grade of oil, recovery rate is up to 100 tonnes per hour.

3048 x 2438mm x 2590mm

2200 kg

1 x Barnsley, 1 x Bristol, 1 x Dundee

A weir skimmer for use on light to medium oils. The pump unit is easily detachable and can be used as an emergency offloading pump. For best results, the skimmer requires a calm sea and wind conditions.

Optimum recovery is 70m3/hr. The pump unit has a cutting edge for dealing with soft debris that may be mixed in with the oil or water. The skimmer system has a dedicated power pack. Engine: Lister HR3 34KW at 2200 RPM, hydraulic start. Maximum hydraulic pressure is 210 bar, maximum flow 140 LPM. An air compressor for altering weir height is fitted – 10 bar, 240 LPM, accumulator capacity 50L.

Dedicated hydraulic power pack, extension hose reel, spares box.

Skimmer Head 1870mm x 1020mm x 1100mm Power Pack 2000mm x 1230mm x 1400mm

Skimmer Head 372 kg Power Pack 1400 kg

2 x Barnsley, 1 x Bristol, 2 x Dundee

Designed to be deployed over the stern of a vessel and attached to towing vessel in open waters.

HD boom is manufactured from heavy duty neoprene rubber with a Hypalon external skin. The construction is seamless and has high abrasion existence and high tensile strength. Flotation is obtained by inflating sections of boom with an air blower. A power pack is required to deploy and recover boom, ensuring that the boom reel is secured to the vessel. The boom has galvanised ballast/tension chain to keep the boom upright when deployed.

Overall: 1.30 metres

Freeboard: 0.50 metres

Draft: 0.80 metres

Ballast: Galvanised chain

Section: 50 metre (4 per reel)

ASTM

4030 kg per 50m section

9 x 200m Barnsley 1 x 200m Bristol 2 x 200m Dundee

2 x vessels or 1 vessel with utilisation of Boom Vane, with vessel crew and 6 -person deployment team.

The flexible floating storage tanks are primarily for use as temporary storage of oil recovered at sea and would be used in conjunction with other oil spill recovery equipment, including containment devises and skimmers/pumps. The tank is manufactured from reinforced double-faced neoprene and can store and approximately 25 tonnes of recovered oil. Full, the bag can be towed up to a maximum speed of 6 knots. Inflatable chambers in the top surface maintain buoyancy above the surface of the water, where filling and discharge connections enable decanting to larger storage facilities if necessary. Tank ends can also be opened for cleaning, this allows for use and reuse for exercises. Included with this product are fluid transfer pumps and air blowers for inflation of the buoyancy chambers, allowing for quick and proper application.

Flat width 2570mm, Flat length 17750mm

Dry 138 kgs

18x at Barnsley, 3x at Dundee, 3x at Bristol

A shallow draft combination skimmer system for use in shallow waters close to the shoreline. This is a modular system with interchangeable ‘wheels’ with either brush, oleophilic disk or drums, allowing for the recovery of most oil viscosities. The system is light and portable and can be carried manually by two responders.

3x at Barnsley, 1x Bristol, 1x Dundee

The Mini Vac System is a lightweight and mobile vaccum skimming system consisting of vaccum pump, transfer pump, hopper and lance.

The system has a vacuum pump with a capacity of 1980 lpm and a vacuum of - 0.89 at 1500 rpm. The diesel engine has electric and recoil start.

1100mm length x 700mm x 600mm high

88 kg

6x at Barnsley

This is a semi-submerged suction head used for the recovery of oil from the water surface. This product must be used in conjunction with a vacuum skimmer or a spate pump.

600 m length x 1200 mm wide x 60 mm high

12 kg

7 x Barnsley, 4 x Dundee

The floating skimmer head has two brush wheels which rotate to recover heavy oil. The heavier oils stick to the brushes and then get scrapped off by blades into a sump. The sump is connected to a small suction pump or power pack which delivers the oil to collection tanks. The rock scrubber unit works on the same principle but is portable and is configured to allow the rotating brush to reach rock faces and quaysides.

Brush Skimmer – 1 x Barnsley, 1 x Dundee, 1 x Bristol

Rock Scrubber – 1 x Barnsley, 1 x Dundee, 1 x Bristol

A rope mop skimmer employs long continuous loops of oleophilic polypropylene material that floats on water. The rope is guided over the water surface by one or more pulley secured at convenient locations. The rope loop is pulled through a wringer that removes the oil.

A trailer mounted diesel driven OM2600 Ro-mop with floating pulleys. Oil is recovered into a tank under the Romop unit and has a recovery rate of 12m3/hr which can then be pumped to a storage tank and/or be removed as waste.

1760 mm x 820 mm x 1220 mm

460 kg

1 x Bristol, 1 x Dundee

A portable, temporary storage system, for the containment of recovered oil on the shoreline. It can also be used as reservoir or pool for cleaning of oiled materials or wildlife.

There are 65x 10,000L fast tanks and 10x 7,500L fast tanks. The fabric is made of PVC coated polyester, which is U.V. resistant. The frame is aluminium. A ground sheet, pipe saddle and decanting valve are provided.

Polythene lines, hand-pumps, pipe-saddles.

1640mm x 420mm x 460mm

64 kg

Barnsley, Bristol and Dundee

The Fastank Rapide acts as an oil spill clean-up/decontamination pool, used for the cleaning of personnel and equipment during an incident. It also works as a pool for splash protection, containment of leaks, animal cleaning or storage of soiled sorbent. It is light and can be handled and assembled by one person.

1500L capacity

Polythene lines, hand-pumps, pipe-saddles.

Barnsley, Bristol and Dundee

1.72m x 1.67 x 0.6m (68" x 66" x 24")

15Kg

These all-terrain vehicles, which are also semi-amphibious, can be used to access areas inaccessible to road vehicles, such as mud flats. The vehicles feature eight 25" (635mm) diameter low-pressure tyres and tracks to provide a light foot print on sensitive terrain, resulting in low environmental impact. They can travel up to 30mph. Each vehicle features a towable trailer for transporting equipment.

The vehicle has a 31hp Daihatsu petrol engine. Vacuum formed lower hull and skid plate are formed from high density polyethylene (HDPE). The frame is powder coated, 3" tubular steel of welded construction.

30 mph.

An inflatable tent designed to be quickly erected to provide shelter on site for exercises and deployments

Each tent has its own constant feed/loss air blower and provides space for approximately 20 people.

6x Barnsley, 2x Bristol, 2x Dundee

Designed to provide rapid oil spill containment, for use as either containment or spur boom in harbours, marinas, or enclosed coastal waters. The boom will fail in increased an increased sea state or current.

Solid buoyancy boom manufactured from PVC/Nitrile rubber impregnated onto polyester woven fabric. Encapsulated closed cell foam buoyancy blocks have been individually welded to the outer panels, which means they cannot get waterlogged if the boom becomes damaged. These are additionally stiffened with vertical fibre reinforced battens that add support. The foam blocks have a special memory property so when compressed onto a reel it retains the original shape and size as on deployment. The galvanised ballast chain has overall breaking strain in excess of 15 tonnes. The MCA stockpile has 200 metres of Fence boom stored on a reel, which is driven by a power pack for deployment and recovery purposes.

3040mm x 1975mm x 2000mm

1740 kg

600m Barnsley, 400m Dundee, 400m Bristol

A specialised boom designed for forming land surface seals, e.g. on inter tidal zones, river banks, mud flats. etc.

The boom is made of polyurethane coated nylon fabric, with aluminium Unicon connectors in 10 and 20 metre lengths. It consists of three tubes. The top tube is inflated for buoyancy and the bottom two tubes are filled with water for ballast and sealing purposes. Both air and water insertion take place through Monson valves for which Monson adaptors are required the air blowers and water pumps. Pressure relief valves are fitted to the water tube to avoid over pressurizing.

Transport box, ancillary cage, Bruce or Seaclaw anchors, tripping buoys, chain, mooring stakes, sledgehammers.

280mm freeboard

280mm draft

560mm high

20 metre length 70 kg

Stored in all three bases – Barnsley, Dundee and Bristol

Containment / spur boom for shoreline, estuarine, harbour and river use.

Made from polyurethane-coated nylon fabric with aluminium Unicon connectors. Steel wire hawser provides tension and ballast. Monson valves each end for air inflation.

Transport box, ancillary cage, Bruce or Seaclaw anchors, tripping buoys, chain, mooring stakes, Tirfor winches, sledgehammers.

330mm freeboard

405mm draught

735mm high

65 kg per 20 metre length

Stored in all three bases – Barnsley, Dundee and Bristol

A rapid deployment containment system for use in sheltered waters such as harbours, inlets, lochs, estuaries and sounds. The system is comprised of 200m of solid floatation boom stored in a zig zag formation inside the 20m Boombag. The bag can be towed at speeds of up to 15 knots to the scene of an incident. Once the sea anchor is released the boom can be deployed in less than 60 seconds around a casualty to contain a spill or in a defensive formation to deflect oil from an object or area. The bag is deployed from s 20ft skid positioned on a quayside or slipway. It can be towed into the water from a height.

3 x 200m Barnsley

On Pod – 18ft x 8ft, 3 meters

1350kg

A portable oleophilic disc skimmer for use on light to medium oils. The discs will be ineffective against dispersed or moussed/emulsified oil. The system is ideal as a portable skimmer in shallow water situations such as harbours, marinas or beaches.

The skimmer has 32 plastic discs driven by 2 hydraulic motors from a remote diesel hydraulic power pack. It weighs 60kg and has an operating draught of 24cm. Recovered oil in the sump is discharged through a 3" line to a Spate diaphragm pump fitted to the power pack. This skimmer is rated at 12 tonnes/hour with crude oil and 2 tonnes/hour in gas/diesel oil. Oil to water ratio maybe as high as 90%.

Power pack, pump and spares box.

Skimmer Head 1280mm x 1280mm x 830mm

Power Pack 990mm x 940mm x 860mm

Skimmer Head 60kg

Power Pack 210kg

Sorbent booms are used to absorb thin layers of spilled oil. They are particularly useful in removing sheens of spilled light oils, e.g. marine diesel fuel. Sorbent boom consists of a fibre filling that absorbs the spilled oil while allowing water to pass through. The fibre filling is a special polypropylene crimped fibre opened and blown into the fabric. The fabric is specially treated to make it hydrophobic (repels water). The material is already oleophilic, (has an affinity for hydrocarbons). The fabric cover is produced from polypropylene yarn, which is woven with sufficient picks to allow total enclosure of the fibre whilst allowing an ingress of oil.

Nominal 8" wide and 10’ long

Small quantities of sorbent boom are stored in each of our sites, Barnsley, Bristol and Dundee.

Oil dispersant is a chemical formulated to break up oil and disperse oil into smaller particles, facilitating bioremediation. The dispersant can be either sprayed aerially using dedicated aerial spraying platforms or from a vessel using the Boat Spray Sets or the Boom Vane Spray set. The MCA, on behalf of the UK, holds a stock of over 1170 tonnes of Type 3 dispersant. The brands of dispersant held are Corexit, Dasic Slickgone NS,Dasic Slickgone EW, Dasic Slickgone LSTW, Agma, Super Dispersant 25, Finasol and Enesperse.

1m3 IBC

1000 kg

The boat-spray 100TS is a portable diesel powered dispersant spray system for the application of concentrated or diluted dispersant from a specially designed even droplet nozzle with a port and starboard feature which have been introduced as an alternative to spray arms.

1250mm long x 1250mm x 1000mm high

301kg

2 x Bristol, 2 x Dundee, 1 Belfast, 1 Stornoway

A dispersant spraying system that utilises a Boom Vane with an attached mast support a 25-metre line and hose nozzle/hose assembly out to the starboard side of the deploying vessel which applies neat dispersant at a rate of up to 107 litres per minute.

1x system at Barnsley

10ft Container in storage, 25meters when deployed.

This unit is used to generate large quantities (2000m3/hr) of inert gas that will not support or sustain ignition of what would be flammable vapours given off by hydrocarbons. Precisely controlled combustion of fuel oil at the burner produces flue-gas typically composed of 1.0 to 1.5% Oxygen, 14% Carbon Dioxide, 100ppm Carbon Monoxide, and the remains of Nitrogen.

The unit is one of only a few portable inert gas generators in Europe and is operated in conjunction with a self-contained, electrical generator, and an accessories container.

Inert Gas Generator: 3150mm x 1500mm x 2400mm

Electrical Generator: 3150mm x 1350mm x 2200mm

Accessories Container: 2000mm x 1550mm x 1700mm

Inert Gas Generator: 3000kg

Electrical Generator: 2000kg

Accessories Container: 1000kg

Barnsley

Small portable diesel engine driven hydraulic power packs which can be used to power a number of systems including skimmers, pumps and boom reels.

The unit has three hydraulic systems of different size and flows and can be configured to operate in 3 modes; High Flow/Low Torque, Low Flow/Low Torque or Low Flow/High Torque. It can power both a pump and a skimmer simultaneously or a boom reel on its own. It is mounted within a crash frame which includes lifting points and forklift pockets.

1210mm x 780mm x 940mm

191kg

7 x Barnsley, 3 x Dundee, 2 x Bristol

There are three different types of hydraulically or mechanically started diesel engines which drive hydraulic pumps, all are self-contained with hydraulic oil and fuel oil tanks, mounted on a skid for transportation. These units have no electrical components and insulated exhausts and are therefore are safe to use in hazardous environments. Their primary function is to be used in conjunction with a back-up unit, and cargo transfer pumps, but can be used to power other large hydraulically driven equipment such as large skimmers.

A hydraulically driven pump set designed primarily to pump highly viscous fluids such as heavy fuel oil, bitumen, crude or sludge

The unit comprises a skid mounted diesel driven power pack, pump set and reels with hoses. The pump is a submersible positive displacement pump with a capacity of up to 140m3/hr, and includes water/steam injection and a debris cutting knife in the inlet

2810mm x 1460mm x 1680mm

1 x Barnsley

Principally used as a transfer pump for oil or water. Can be used for fluid transfer between temporary storage facilities.

The unit is a self-priming, induced flow, diaphragm pump. When used on water a suction lift of up to 9 metres is attainable, a delivery head of 30 metres is possible and the maximum rated capacity is approximately 30 tonnes per hour. The performance of the pump diminishes the higher the viscosity of the liquid being pumped, meaning the more viscous the oil the lower the capacity that can be pumped.

180 kg

1160 x 820 x 1000 mm

Barnsley, Bristol and Dundee

Cargo pumps can be used during salvage operations to transfer oil or chemicals between tanks or to remove oil or chemicals to another ship. The TK series of pump heads are centrifugal pumps. The pump head is submerged in the fluid to be pumped. Two pump heads can be powered by a single hydraulic power pack that is driven by a diesel engine.

The flow rate of the pumps varies with fluid viscosity and the ‘head’ (vertical distance) to be pumped.

*Pump will fit through Butterworth Hatch

These fans fit standard deck openings (12.5") and can supply air or extract air vapour from a cargo tank. They are air-driven and intrinsically safe meaning they can be used around flammable gases if needed.

Victor Pyrate Type 850A Moves 8000 m3/hour with a compressed air supply at 7.5 bar Each fan has 10 metre sections of flexible ducting or 2 metre exhaust stack.

463mm x 590mm diameter

25 kg

4 x Barnsley

Several standard duty compressors are held for normal operating conditions to drive pumps, fans, lighting or tools.

2 x Barnsley

This compressor is designated as a ‘Safe zone’ Compressor. This means it is built with additional safety features for operation in ‘safe zones’ on offshore platforms. These safety features include an intake shutdown device that, in the event that flammable gases enter the engine, will shut the unit down. No electrical components are used, effectively eliminating the chance of sparks.

The unit is housed in a DNV 2:7-1 Offshore spec crash frame and lifting rig.

It is used to supply compressed air at 200cfm primarily to drive intrinsically safe air powered lighting, or to drive air driven gas-freeing fans.

2140mm x 2200mm x 1860mm high

2400 kg

1 x Barnsley

The Dunlop low-pressure fenders are rapidly transportable and can be easily inflated to provide damage protection during ship-to-ship transfer operations.

There are two sizes that are currently stored as part of the stockpile: a 4 x 1 metre in diameter x 4-metre-long and a 2 x 2 metre diameter x 12 metres long. (Sizes are when fully inflated)

The fenders are transported in cages that are:2500mm long x 1700mm wide x 1350mm high

Small fender: 50kgLarge fender: 200kg

2 x Barnsley (large), 2 x Bristol (small), 2 x Dundee (small).

Self-contained diesel driven 8 metre lighting towers consisting of 2 x 1000-watt halogen lamps. 2 x Ampco Intrinsically Safe Light System (1 x generator, 4 x floodlights per system)

12 x Wolf air driven turbo lamps. 6 Units can be driven on a standard air compressor.

20x Barnsley

Counter Pollution and Salvage Branch, Resources and Claims Lead –

For all marine or shoreline pollution incidents the first point of contact is the Coastguard, who can be reached by dialling 999 and asking for the Coastguard.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency Spring Place105 Commercial RoadSouthamptonSO15 1EG

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