TOSCA

The International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC), was adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 1990. The purpose of this convention to mitigate the consequences of a major oil pollution incident involving ships, offshore units, pipelines, seaports and oil handling facilities, through the mechanism of preparedness response planning.

The Port of London Authority in conjunction with the local industry established Thames Oil Spill Clearance Associated (TOSCA) as a 24 hour 7 days a week marine oil spill response unit, in compliance with the OPRC and IMO legislation.

TOSCA is managed and operated by the PLA. However, it is funded by a levy on oil and mineral cargos, as well as conservancy dues to cover bunker fuel. TOSCA also has an impressive membership base providing an active association for the prepared response to pollution.

Funded in part by the terminals that handle oil and oil products, the service has two purpose-built craft, each designed to collect and/or contain oil in the first critical hours after a spillage.

TOSCA was established in 1992 to response to marine pollution incidents between Canvey Island and Tower Bridge.

Marine Recovery Vessel – “Recover”

The vessel is fitted with a Lamour brush disk cartridge system installed between the Catamarans two hulls. When operating in collection mode the brush system is lowered by hydraulic rams, until it is partially immersed in the polluted water. Oil floating on the surface of the water is forced into the cartridge by the forward motion of the vessel and onto the oleophilic fibre brushed fixed to the circumference of each of five disc wheels mounted on a common axle.

As the discwheels are rotated through the polluted water, oils ticks to the brushes and is carried up to the top of the cartridge where it is removed from the brushed into a collection tank by a series of scraper blades. The vessel has two 4 tonne holding tanks in the catamaran hulls.

The Lamor oil collection cartridge is capable of collecting oil of varying viscosities and has a maximum collection rate of 100 cubic meters per hour.

Vessel Statistics

Vessel Name: Recover

Vessel Type: Prout Catamaran

Length Overall: 16.5m

Beam: 6.8m

Draught: 1.2m

Displacement: 27 T

Engines: 2 Caterpillar 3406E diesel engines, 770bhp at 2200 RPM each

Top Speed: 22 Knots

Equipment on Board: Spate Pump x 1, Lamour Brush Disk Skimmer, Sea Mop 3040, Sorbent Boom x 28 Bags