SafeSTS has established an operational base in Rio de Janeiro, with top quality, enhanced equipment for STS Operations. SafeSTS is fully licensed for ship-to-ship operations in Brazil, operating firstly in Santos STS Area.
The new base will support STS underway operations and our projects in the area.
SafeSTS Chief Executive Yvonne Gilchrist-Mason OBE is confident that the base is well equipped to provide operational flexibility to a diverse South American client base, saying:
“We have great respect for the offshore conditions in Brazilian waters, and our choice of high quality STS and oil pollution equipment reflects local operational conditions.
“Additionally, we have designed and implemented safety upgrades to further improve equipment performance, as well as making a significant R&D investment in safety enhancements for the oil transfer and moorings systems, something that we believe has been lacking in the ship-to-ship transfer industry for some considerable time.”
One such product development is the PTX (Protected Transfer System), which is the first pro-active emergency release coupling for oil ship-to-ship transfer. Other areas of the industry such as LNG have always had a similar system, and with the Brazilian authorities showing considerable interest in this innovation, the first system is scheduled to arrive in Brazil later this year.
SafeSTS has pioneered and is now launching a new concept in ship-to-ship transfer, called TVB (Transfer via Buoy), and therefore SafeSTS has purchased a buoy in Brazil which is now situated at their base yard. The company is in the process of applying for licences for its deployment in Brazil, to support the export strategy of the pre-salt oil fields.
The TVB offers opportunities for increased operational volumes, and by working in this way SafeSTS can sustain operations through a higher weather window than is achievable in a traditional ship-to-ship transfer. It also has the potential to make significant carbon savings by increasing the efficiency of the shuttle tanker in loading/discharge in closer proximity to the field.
Yvonne Gilchrist-Mason OBE stresses that none of these product and system innovations and developments would have been possible without the input of the highly experienced SafeSTS marine team, saying:
“Our marine team and POACs have considerable experience of STS operations, having honed their skills in international locations including Trinidad, East and North Africa, Uruguay and Japan.”