B. Activities
The main activity of SERMAP Company is collecting liquid hydrocarbon residues on the
vessels. This collection is made by special trucks (vacuum pump) or by our self-propelled
barge “MANON DES SLOPS III” which has an important capacity (300 m3) and can go
alongside the vessels and bring supplies in the roads or in all the places where the trucks
cannot go: chemical factories wharfs or loading berths in the port during commercial
operations.
SERMAP ensures the whole management of the residues, from collecting to eliminating and
delivering certificates (MARPOL convention) under the port authority’s control.
* KIND OF INTERVENTION :
a) Sludge
When we drain away a tank, all the liquid hydrocarbon residues as well as draining off
oil for special vessel, are stored in a so-called “sludge tank”.
This tank is generally of reduced capacity, almost 20 m³, it’s the reason why it is
regularly drained away (on average every three months). This reservoir contains only a
little quantity of water; this is why it’s necessary to use a special material such as the
“pallet pump” which is not damaged by the contact of hydrocarbon.
Remark: This kind of intervention is generally done by truck because mobilizing the
barge for a small quantity of product is not profitable for the customer. But sometimes,
using the barge to drain away the sludge is inevitable because of restrictive access to
the ship by trucks depending on the port area.
b) Slops
The dirty water drained from the cargo tanks is called “Slop”.
Generally, the slop tanks have a big capacity (100 to 2,000 m³) and are drained after
each commercial operation (loading / unloading).
This operation of “deballasting” is generally carried out directly in the commercial ports
by using a pipeline connected to the refining station.
If the ship is on roads, SERMAP operates with its own barge.
NOTICE: Sometimes pumping out the liquid residues is possible directly into the cargo tank
by stripping pumps.
c) Bilge water
All the water recovered on lays, as well as washing waters on the cargo ship is stored
in the “bilge water” tank, with a capacity of approximately 10 m³. This oily water is much
less expensive to eliminate because water is separately restored from hydrocarbons by
decantation.
d) Used oil
Generally, this operation is done on smaller ships. Used oil is stored in cans and come
from the vessel engines.
The collection and transportation is done by means of a van.
e) Collect of hazardous and special waste
We can also collect different kinds of waste more or less polluting – machine cleaning
oily rags, packaging material, used paint cans, worn-out ropes, etc. - and/or dangerous
- out-of-date distress signals, out-of-date medical devices, waste containing chemical
substances.
All these residues must be conveyed to a specialised centre where they will be
incinerated or recycled.
MARPOL certificate
For every intervention, a MARPOL certificate for the appropriate class is produced
and delivered to the ship’s master.
This certificate is the evidence that justifies the good recycling of the wastes in case
of a control.
Located in the industrial port area of Marseilles-Fos for 15 years, SERMAP Company
provides all assistance to the calling ships on behalf of the shipping agents of the
Mediterranean zone (Marseilles-Fos, Toulon, Sète, Port-la-Nouvelle, roads,)
The main activity is the management of all classes of waste according to the MARPOL regulations :
⇒ Slops, sludge, oily waters, chemical waste,…
⇒ Solid refuses, plastics, oily rags, household waste,…
⇒ Hazardous and special waste : distress signals, medicine,…
Collection, handling and transport of bilge
water or sludge are carried out by
barge (up to 300 m³) or vacuum trucks (10
to 20 m³) or tank trucks (9 to 28 m³)
For every intervention a MARPOL certificate for the appropriate class is
produced and delivered to the ship’s
master.
C. Our customers
a) The shipping agent
The majority of the shipping agents
of the Marseilles’ area call on our
company when our services are
necessary then inform us of the
name, the place and the kind of
waste to collect.
A lot of contracts have been
negotiated with agents, but the
collection of residues is a small part
of their activities, therefore they do
not prospect the ships for this
service that is not yet systematically
offered in all the seaports.
The shipping agents remain
interesting customers for our
company because they have the
monopoly of some shipping
companies.
b) The ship
The ships are naturally the most
interesting target customers for our
company. Indeed, they are the first
interested ones by our services due
to the fact that we issue a certificate
that makes it possible to navigate
peacefully with regards to sea oil
dumping.
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