Dales Marine Services, an EU List approved supplier of vessel decommissioning, has announced the successful decommissioning and recycling of MV Oceanic Pintail.   

MV Oceanic Pintail, launched in 1987, was owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and operated by its transport business Nuclear Transport Solutions.

The vessel arrived at the Dales Marine’s Leith dry dock facilities in mid-November 2020, and Dales commenced with decommissioning operations at the end of that month.

Cargo vessels like the Oceanic Pintail are designed and constructed to counter harsh environmental and climatic conditions. Unfortunately, at the end of their serviceable life, they can often be contaminated with unsafe substances that can make decommissioning vessels a complex and hazardous process.

Dales Marine is very experienced in conducting vessel decommissioning safely and responsibly at their Leith dry dock. The dry dock is regularly used for decommissioning ships and is set up to accommodate these types of projects.

On 24 November 2020, MV Oceanic Pintail was issued a ready to recycle certificate, de-pollution, soft stripping, and removal of the accommodation were completed by Dales Marine at the end of March.

The vessel was then prepared for and manoeuvred into the dry dock for the hull’s final disposal, which commenced early August.   Dales Marine removed the last piece of MV Oceanic Pintail from the dry dock on 15 September, and the completion certification was issued.

The contract for the project was for the removal and disposal of the vessel, with the client, Nuclear Transport Solutions, stipulating that 98 per cent of the vessel’s materials had to be recycled in line with their commitment to environmental responsibility  Dales Marine exceeded the target and recycled 100 per cent of the vessel’s materials.

Throughout the decommissioning process, Dales worked closely with its contractors discussing how best to remove the waste material from the site for recycling.  By working with contractors, they found several solutions to streamline the process. Detailed reports of materials removed, recycled, or repurposed were supplied regularly to the client. Finally, by working closely with contractors, Dales ensured that any waste that wasn’t recyclable was either repurposed, resold or went as waste for energy schemes.

Michael Milne, CEO, Dales Marine Services, said:

“Our team’s decommissioning expertise and experience have been invaluable in our achieving the 98 per cent recycling targets. Dales prides itself on being a high achiever in its recycling and greener approach.  

“For this project, having the support and strong working relationships with our contractors and suppliers has allowed us to work together in finding the best solution for improving how we went about recycling or repurposing waste materials from the vessel.”