Cleaning up the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’

Knowledge of the existence of the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ is hardly new: believed to be roughly twice the size of Texas, the “Plastic Vortex”, another name for this area, is a vast area of the Pacific awash with garbage. It does not have strict boundaries, which vary seasonally. Moreover, although floating patches and small pieces of plastics and garbage have been long reported by fishermen and seamen transiting the zone little was known about the magnitude of the problem until Project Kaisei was launched last year.


Project Kaisei (Kaisei is Japanese for Ocean Planet) uses the Tall ship Kaisei to determine the best way to clean up this ‘8th Continent’: research is being conducted to determine whether the all pervasive plastics found in this huge area can be collected and recycled effectively. Plastics kill marine life, enter human food chains and have an overall detrimental effect on human and animal health. Unfortunately, over 60% of plastics and other wastes (including rubber and aluminium) in the ocean come from land based sources and move around with tides, currents and winds once they are waterborne. Even worse, plastics degenerate into smaller pieces over time and with ultraviolet effect. It is a huge problem: we produce 260 million tonnes of plastic annually, and National Geographic says that 85 million plastic bottles are used every three minutes.


The ‘Garbage Patch’ is not all pervasive or dense; it consists mainly of millions of minute pieces of degenerating plastic and other garbage that accumulate or are trapped within spiralling clockwise currents between Japan and the American continent. Nevertheless, signs of the degeneration are ominous and obvious in good weather. Mary Crawley, one of the founders of the project, says, "I've been out to the same part of the ocean 30 years ago, and then it was clean oceanic wilderness. Now it's like a dump." Crawley was on board the ‘Kaisei’ along with two dozen other scientists and key personnel to research the gyre and find solutions. She told CNN, "When you're first out there, you see this beautiful, beautiful deep blue ocean. And then you look closer, and you see that there's this proliferation of floating garbage. And depending on what part of the ocean one's in, you can stand on the bow of the boat and count 400 pieces of garbage. Or in some places, you might only find 25 to 50 pieces."


The Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, also lent its research ship ‘New Horizon’ to the Project. Along with the Tall Ship Kaisei, the vessels covered 35000 miles in the region, collecting and analysing samples and examining options. They found some larger pieces of plastic and other garbage, but what shocked them was “the density and the pervasiveness and extent" of small plastic particles they found. Both ships started sampling the water to collect organic life about 400 miles off the coast of California. Out of more than a hundred samples, not a single net returned without little plastic particles. “Because they (plastic pieces) are so small, it's hard to find water without it," Crowley said. Experts say that the effect on the health of other marine life and humans eating this contaminated fish could hardly be positive.


Project Kaisei is busy researching ways to recycle the deadly plastic. Crowley says the goal is to fund multiple expeditions every year, including on commercial fishing vessels, to do so. "We would go out there with large commercial fishing vessels and bring back tons of garbage. And then we would work with our recycling partners and we'd recycle this material."


One problem is that calm weather is required for collecting the garbage. The Project is contemplating the possibility of installing a recycling plant on a ship, which could collect garbage round the clock in good weather. Also being examined: ways to convert plastic to fuel or building material using advanced and patented technology.
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Jessica Watson sets off around the world

Four days, ago, Australian sailor Jessica Watson finally set sail on a 22,000 nautical mile around the world solo trip from Australia. Jessica is just 16, and wants to be the youngest person to complete the journey nonstop and unassisted.


Jessica's plans had raised a raging controversy in Australia and across maritime circles, as an earlier trip from the Sunshine Coast resulted in a near disaster: she ran into a 60,000 tonne Chinese bulk carrier, probably while asleep, and broke her yacht's mast. Critics point to Maritime Safety Queensland's report into the collision, which criticised her navigational skills: she had dozed off without turning on a warning device, did not have any clear plan and had kept a log with "irregular latitude and longitude entries". Media reports after the collision had alleged she kept a safety checklist on a scrap piece of paper, was otherwise unqualified to undertake such a perilous journey and was way too young for such an exacting expedition. Psychologists warned of the effects of prolonged loneliness on one so young; it is an eight month solo voyage, after all.


Her supporters, including her family, friends and corporate sponsors, claimed otherwise. They said that the media 'was being sexist and criticising Jessica's determination because she was a girl. They claimed that the boat and safety measures had been augmented, that Jessica was more than capable and that her determination to undertake the voyage after the collision showed the kind of grit that was required to succeed in the epic voyage. Jessica's mother Julie said that the collision had provided the opportunity to reexamine Jessica's safety and fatigue management systems, and that everything had been done to guarantee the girl's safety: "Everything has been revisited and ramped up, so we've just left no stone unturned,' she said. "She probably has more gear on board than most ships," the mother said.


These arguments are now moot anyway: At the time of writing this report, Jessica is 150 miles off Sydney and doing six knots, according to reports. She has enough technology to assist her on the 'Ella's Pink Lady', her Sparkman and Stephens 34 yacht. Besides improved radar equipment subsequent to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's preliminary report on the earlier collision, the 10.23 m yacht is equipped with satellite navigation and tracking, communication, radio, weather and storm tracking, satellite phones and internet for the eight month voyage.


Jessica's route will take her from off Sydney towards northern New Zealand, from where she will turn to port towards Fiji. Once past Fiji and Samoa, she goes Northeast past the Line Islands and then turns South past the roaring forties before rounding the 'Everest of Ocean Sailing', Cape Horn. She then sails 'Cape to Cape', rounding the Cape of Good Hope before heading home to Australia.


The real tests will be Jessica's responses to the inevitable hairy situations that she will face and her ability to make the right decisions under pressure. There are other questions in many minds: how much risk is acceptable when teenagers too young to vote want adventure at sea? And, is Jessica adequately capable of handling the yacht in all weather conditions over a period of eight months?


We will find out the answers to these questions eventually. Meanwhile, can only applaud this teenager's grit and determination.
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The Seabreacher: The $50,000 dolphin.

Mumbai October 12 Innespace, a California based watercraft design company, has finally rolled out its astonishing dolphin like submersible vessel into the commercial marketplace. By forking out USD $50,000 and upwards, you can now own a boat that will dive, roll and jump at speeds that make you dizzy.


Their two seater Seabreacher J, the latest model, cruises at 40mph and hits underwater speeds of 20mph while the passengers sit in a sealed cockpit. It can dive, albeit for short periods, to five feet, although it often requires to stay just below the water surface with a snorkel sticking out above the water. Safety features ensure that you cannot go too deep; the engine cuts out and the boat pops up to the water surface. Of course, you can use it like a normal boat, keep the cockpit canopy open, and zip along at 40kmph on the water.


Other safety devices include a pneumatically watertight cockpit and engine space, kept dry with the smart use of inflatable pneumatic aircraft seals. Even if water enters, three robust bilge pumps can automatically pump these spaces out. The Seabreacher, in addition, has an impact resistant monocoque structure, a collapsible nose section in the event of frontal impact, breakaway wing tips and an onboard fire extinguisher.


Rob Innes and Dan Piazza founded Innespace Productions in 1997. The company began as a design and development company specialising in high performance submersible watercraft. Their first prototype, ‘The Dolphin’ (also the Sweet Virgin Angel) remains a research and development platform for the new Seabreacher. Says Rob Innes today, “After over ten years of prototyping, we have really developed a design that is very intuitive to drive, safe, and easy to service.”


The basic model of the custom built Seabreacher will set you back USD$48,000. With a tinted canopy, advanced instrumentation including a mounted underwater video camera, customised upholstery and underwater viewports, the price could go up to as much as $68,000. Shipping costs are extra, at $3,000 to $6,000 per boat. The Seabreacher can be operated in either fresh or salt water, and be launched from a conventional boat ramp using a trailer.


Innespace claims that the Seabreacher J combines the thrill of flying a submersible watercraft with the practicality and dependability of a conventional personal watercraft. After watching the videos of this amazing craft in the water, we would have to agree.





Technical profile and Vital Statistics, Seabreacher J

The Seabreacher J incorporates a jet drive for increased safety and better surface performance. The J model is approved for recreational use by the US Coastguard and is able to be registered as a conventional powerboat in most countries. It is powered by a Rotax engine which is available in 155hp or 215hp supercharged variants.

Specifications
Length: 16' (4.89m)
Width: 3' (0.9m)
Wingspan : 7' 10” (1.9m)
Approx. weight 1250lb (566kg)
Max surface speed: 40mph (65km/h)
Max submerged speed: 20mph (32km/h)
Max depth: 6 feet (1.8m)
Fuel capacity: 14 gallons (52l)

Engine / Drive
ROTAX 1500cc 4 stroke engine
155 hp standard, or 215 hp supercharged
High output, low emission, quiet
Axial Flow jet pump
Forward, Neutral, Reverse
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Radioactive ship to be broken up at Alang?

“An international fugitive vessel”: IPOS


Ahmedabad, Oct. 16: As contradictory statements come out from within the Gujarat Government and even as Jairam Ramesh, Union Environment Minister, orders an enquiry into the affair, activists are enraged that a toxic US ship may be broken up at Alang. They claim that the vessel is contaminated with radioactive substances, poses a danger to the environment and worker health and want Washington to recall the vessel “in the same way that the French had recalled Le Clemenceau.”


Platinum II, a cruise ship reportedly bought by a Gujarat merchant, is today anchored waiting for clearance to beach at Alang, one of the largest shipbreaking locations in the world. Meanwhile, the Government of India has announced that a three member team will go to Alang early next week to investigate. The GOI is also trying to confirm ownership of the vessel.


Gopal Krishna of the watchdog NGO, Indian Platform on Shipbreaking (IPOS) calls the Platinum II an “international fugitive vessel. This 682 foot ocean liner is loaded with an estimated 210 tonnes of toxic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and an estimated 250 tonnes of asbestos as part of its construction, which is lethal to the health of the workers as well to the environment,” he said. IPOS is a coalition of environment, health, labour and human rights organisations. It alleges that the toxic PCB is present in the insulated wiring of the 18,503 tonne vessel, which has nine decks and a passenger capacity of more than a thousand. PCBs are known across the world for their cancer causing affects.


IPOS also accused the Gujarat Maritime Board and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board of having given clearances to the ship without proper inspection. They are demanding that the ship be sent back to the US for having broken international treaties like the Basel Convention, which regulates movement of hazardous substances between States and allows India to permit dismantling only if, as in this case, there is a bilateral deal between the US and India. No such deal exists.


Adding to the confusion, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board seems to have first submitted a report saying that there was nothing hazardous aboard “except asbestos and paint, both of which can be removed under Supreme Court guidelines”. S.K. Nanda, the State’s principal secretary, forests and environment, said that clearance had been given. “We have given the clearance as we have found nothing hazardous on Platinum II, which should be allowed to be dismantled at the Alang shipbreaking yard,” he had said. Later, however, a GPCB member said that clearances had not yet been given and that reports had been sent to “higher ups” to seek their opinion. Both the GPCB and the Maritime Board seem to be silent on the toxic PCB issue.


IPOS also alleges that the earlier owners of the Platinum II, Global Marketing Systems of the US, had been heavily fined by the US Environmental Protection Agency for attempting to export the ship without decontaminating it. They say that violations of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) promoted the fines: PCB export is banned under the TSCA.


Even as another incident in a series of controversial events at Alang plays out, a new twist emerges in this tale. Environmental groups have warned the media that attempts are being made by interested parties to get clearances to beach the toxic ship on ‘humanitarian grounds’ even now.
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Black Rose incident underlines risks of iron ore loading once again.

Are unprincipled traders to blame?


Mumbai Oct 9 Recent casualties involving ships loading iron ore fines in India have once again focused international attention on the perils crews are exposed to in this trade.
Industry associations and P&I clubs have long criticised the manner in which this loading takes place in India, and had surfaced issues of non transparency in shippers declaring the Transportable Moisture Limit, or TML.


The capsizing of the Asian Forest off Mangalore earlier this year and the Black Rose more recently off Paradip have made the international shipping industry express renewed concern about industry malpractices. Certain well known P&I clubs had issued circulars warning their members way back in 2007, when, over a span of a month during the monsoons, three ships suffered perils at sea post loading iron ore fines at Mangalore and Haldia. Two of those ships were beached to avoid capsizing and the third one diverted to Vizag where her entire cargo was discharged.


Manufacturers produce iron ore of several grades, some of which present risk of liquefaction; these are usually finely powdered ores, or 'fines'. To add to this problem, iron ore in India is frequently loaded from outdoor piles that are exposed to monsoon rains. The IMO makes it incumbent on shippers of any material liable to liquefy to declare this hazard and certify moisture content and the transportable moisture limit (TML, which obviously cannot be lower than the moisture content of the cargo to be shipped). Unfortunately, in India, some shippers have only provided certificates for moisture contents and not the equally important TML numbers, leaving Master's clueless as to the dangers their crews may be exposed. Recent Chinese demand for ore has meant that many unscrupulous traders and ship owners are out to make a quick buck, even at the cost of seafarer lives and environmental damage.


Capt John Prasad Menezes, President of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, blames unscrupulous traders. "Due to the Chinese boom, charterers too sprung up from Kolkata, Mumbai, Singapore and Hong Kong. It is a question of cutting corners and staying competitive. In such a scenario, all aspects of trade tend to be safe in letter rather than in spirit," he is reported to have told a conference in Hamburg.

Greenpeace says that the Black Rose disaster could devastate the Orissa coast if the 924 tonnes of bunkers on the ship would leak out. A statement from the environmental organisation says, "Greenpeace is closely monitoring the effects of the spill, which is close to the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, home to the endangered Olive Ridley turtles, and the Bitharkanika National Park, which harbours India's second largest mangrove ecosystem and has the largest population of salt-water crocodiles in India."


Needless to say, Masters must exercise extreme caution while loading powdered materials. We would have to say with regret that they should exercise particular caution when loading iron ore in India, asking for a recent and independent analysis of figures if felt necessary. Shippers and charterers should also be aggressively queried as to the TML and the moisture content of cargo to be loaded in each hold.


Meanwhile, the DG Shipping has issued a circular dated 25 September. Titled
"Additional Safeguards for safe carriage of solid bulk cargo especially Iron ore fines from Indian Ports", MS Notice 31 recognises that " shippers and port authorities are not extending the support to the Masters of the ships calling Indian ports for loading Iron ore fines" and issues directions to agents to advise ships calling their ports about the risks of loading iron ore fines during monsoons. Ports, too, are directed to "do everything possible to ensure safe carriage & transportation of solid bulk cargo including Iron ore fines" as per existing regulations and guidelines for loading bulk cargoes.

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