Marine salvage is, like shore based fire departments, all about preparedness. Many years ago, major salvage firms maintained large tugs in the world's major ports. Modern costs for sophisticated equipment preclude this approach.
Today, salvage firms establish a number of bases around the world that can provide quick response. The secondary response can be provided by equipment flown to the salvage site from warehouses at other sites.
Houston, Texas-based T&T Bisso, a stand-alone joint venture of T&T Marine Salvage and Bisso Marine Company formed in 2005, has recently expanded its world coverage by opening an operation base in Singapore.
Together with similar bases in the Netherlands and Peru, these locations can respond quickly to emergencies in their area while calling on any of the other three bases to send reinforcements by air, as the job requires.
The most important component in meeting the unique needs of every marine accident, from sinkings to fires and collisions, is the salvage master. He must quickly asses the situation and let the head office know what he can do with the resources that he has available and what additional resources he will require for the particular job.
In Singapore, operations manager Captain Piet Sinke fills this role. As with many who work in the salvage industry, Captain Sinke has his roots in the Netherlands where he and his wife maintain a home while they are stationed in Singapore.
In 2008, after 33 years with Smit, he agreed, together with Richard van der Werf (also formerly from Smit) to join in the set up T&T Bisso's new Far East base in Singapore.
The new 330-square-metre office has an adjoining 740-square-metre warehouse with an impressive array of equipment including containerised decompression chambers for divers, portable salvage equipment such as, firefighting units, patching materials, hot-tap equipment for safe removal of oil from sunken ships, generators, compressors in addition to all kinds of rigging materials such as various size shackles, slings etc.
At a nearby dock, when not away on a job, the 39-metre salvage tug 'TTB Singapore' stands ready for a call to action. Extensively rigged for salvage by Captain Sinke, the boat has a 25- by 8.5-metre deck space with hold-downs for three 20-foot and one ten-foot container. These can be selected from the warehouse depending on the requirements of a specific job.
Also onboard is new HIAB-Seacrane 251, capable of lifting 2,400kgs at a 9.8-metre reach.
The major governing factor of meeting modern salvage needs is the flexibility and availability of equipment. This flexibility was demonstrated when the 'TTB Singapore' left port at the end of December 2009. She is chartered as support vessel to the wreck removal of the dredger 'KC-19' in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
In mid February, Captain Sinke reported that the job would finish in two or three weeks. With the warehouse-ready equipment, support from other T&T Bisso locations and the flexibility of the tug 'TTB Singapore' as well as available charter vessels, the new far east office is ready to meet what ever crisis may arise.
Alan Haig-Brown
