What's going on, SAR , and others ?.

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Sometime ago, a forum member posted a site regarding shipping, It is called, "Live Ships Map, A.I.S.
Every day I visit this site to see what's going on around our Coastline.
Over the last few days, The SAR Aircraft from Lerwick, plus many other SAR ships, aircraft, RNLI, boats have been congregating around an Oil Platform, not only our SAR, but others from the Eastern side of the Channel.

As there has been nothing on the news, has anyone any idea as to what's going on,?.

Jim.

Lincoln .7

Original post

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On the news a day or two ago there was a problem with a platform in the North Sea. If I remember correctly it had something to do with damaged pipework - I could be wrong on the actual fault. Some evacuation did take place.
Richard

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Thanks Richard for throwing some light on the subject, however, seeing all the resources still around the area, it must be pretty serious.
If you can get on the site I mentioned, you will see what I mean. The cost of this excersize must be huge.
I wonder if it's another cover up?.

Jim.

Lincoln .7

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There was talk of oil being found in one of the support legs, which sounds exceedingly dangerous.

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theres a rig off of the coast in the north sea which sprang a gas leak i believe, shut down 27 fields till it was fixed, the boulmer sea king was also out last night fairly late, around 11pm, i was watching it hover and search on the horizon looking out from south shields

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Scott, You would be talking about another one, not the one off Lerwick, did they evacuate everyone from all those platforms?.

Go onto the site I mentioned, and you may be able to see the helio that you saw yesterday, you are able to follow the track of any ships,or SAR aircraft and Helicopters, that have an AIS fitted, and that is nearly all of them.
The shipping, in the English Channel, is astounding. It's as busy as the Freeway into L.A.
Jim.

Lincoln .7

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...and it's quite fun to chose one or two vessels to follow.

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Yes it is, I tend to look out for all the SAR Aircraft, ships, and RNLI, search for them, and when one shows up, I add it to "MY FLEET".

There is one Container ship, Marco Polo, and the miles it travels in one day is unbelievable, I also think it's the largest container ship, registered in the U.K.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

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:) - makes a change from those metal and/or wood sausage thingies with flat bits sticking out sideways!:D

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No Charlie, they don't show Submarines on there. :D

Jim.

Lincoln .7

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"...metal/and or WOOD..."!!:diablo:

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On a more serious note, do we have any Seaplanes equipped with floats that can be used in ASR,? Or Seaplanes like the old Sunderland?. PBYs?.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

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Surely not around our coastline. But no doubt dotted around the coasts of Africa and Asia perhaps.....someone on here will know, that's for sure.

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There is one Container ship, Marco Polo, and the miles it travels in one day is unbelievable, I also think it's the largest container ship, registered in the U.K.

There was an item, on BBC South, which included that vessel, in which they said that fuel costs have reached the point where owners are telling captains to slow down, since it can save thousands of pounds.

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The platform that had the leak was the Cormorant Alpha (one of my old stomping grounds) a former Shell asset now operated by Taqa Bratani. A number of the platforms in the Shetland Basin hook into the same pipeline system - which meets land at St Fergus in the N-East of Scotland - and would have been shut down purely as a precaution (a lesson learned the hard way after Piper Alpha where two platforms that were linked back to piper continued pumping after the initial explosions, thus exacerbating the situation). The other platforms were not evacuated.

The concrete gravity base of the Cormorant Alpha ( from which the 4 legs rise is designed to store 1,000,000 barrels of oil. The legs are hollow and accessible. The leak (which was reportedly very small) could have come from something as relatively minor as a leaking valve. I understand that the gas detectors were set off after detecting gas vapours emitted from the leaked crude oil.

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Thank you. Knowledgable input is always welcome.:)

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Loose-Head.

Many thanks for your explanation as to what may have been the cause.
Looking at the Live Ships Map AIS, it must have caused quite a stir, as so many helicopters, rescue ships etc were around the rig for two days solid. I cannot even begin to imagine what would have happened, should it have been a major oil leak.
Right up where the Cod breed,it would have devastated their stocks.
Pop along and have a look at the maps, I find it very informative, and you get to know things prior to it being on the news, providing it's newsworthy.:) I didn't know until a few days ago, there are 600 decomissioned rigs that need to be dismantled, but no one will take the job on, so they are just being left to rot away,

Jim.
Lincoln .7

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There was an item, on BBC South, which included that vessel, in which they said that fuel costs have reached the point where owners are telling captains to slow down, since it can save thousands of pounds.

Hi Edgar.
I follow that ship, every day, when it reaches it's next Port of call, the turnaround is very speedy. The maps as I have stated gives a photo of the ships, course, and speed, I guess the Captain of the Marco Polo, didn't "Hear" the order to slow down, as it seems to travel flat out at it's max speed when viewed on the map.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

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im still trying to work out the website lol, Jim, how do i find SAR aircraft? is there a specific search for it?

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Hi Scott. I am certain you can find this site. Once on, you will get a list of different coloured ships, the very light blue ones are usualy the SAR Helicopters, but some are aircraft, rescue ships, RNLI, once you see one, and have IDd it, you can follow it's track, as to where it's been/going to.Once you have seen any SAR A.Cs, ships, helios, you can file it under, "My Fleet" then you will have a record of what you have selected, and click on whatever you have saved. You will also get an email, telling you when one of your "Fleet" has departed from it's home base.

Jim.

Lincoln .7