B. Activities

The main activity of SERMAP company is collecting liquid hydrocarbon residues on the vessels. This collect is effected by special trucks (vacuum suction pump) or by the barge “MANON DES SLOPS III” which has an important capacity (300 cbm) and can go alongside the vessels and bring supplies in the roads orin all the places where the lorries 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 elimanating and delivering certificates (MARPOL convention) under the port authorities control.

* KIND OF INTERVENTION :

a) The sludge’s

When we drains away a tank, all the liquid hydrocarbon residues as well as oil of draining for special vessel, are restored in a called “sludge cistern (tank)”.

This tank is generally of reduced capacity almost 20 cbm, so it’s the reason for which it is very 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 “palette pump” which is not damaged by in the contact of hydrocarbon.

Remark : This kind of intervention is done in general by lorry because mobilize a barge for a few quantity of produce is not profitable for the customer. But sometimes use the barge to drain away the sludge is an , obligation because the vessel is not approachable by lorries depend of the port area.

b) The slops

When on drains the cargo tanks of a tanker, the bottom of these last (“unpumpable calls”) is cleaned and recovered in a tank called “slop tank”, so it is this dirty water which we restore.

These tanks are generally of great capacity (100 to 500 cbm) and are emptied after each commercial intervention (discharging).

This operation of “deballast” is generally carried out directly in the commercial ports by using a pipeline connects has the station of purification.
SERMAP

SERMAP intervenes in this kind of operation only when the ship is on roads, then the intervention is possible by barge, so it’s not our main kind of intervention.

NOTE : Sometimes it is able to have to restore residues liquidate directly in the cargo tank.

c) The bilge water

All the water recovered on lays ,as well as washings water on the polluting cargo ship are restored in the “bilges water” tanks, they are reserve of less capacity, approximately 10 cbm. This oily water are much less expensive to destruction, because water is separately restored hydrocarbons by the process of decanting.
Notice : this kind of operation is in general les constraining than the others because the product is very liquid, so it’s easier to pump.

d) The used oil

Generally this operation is done on the smaller ship. This used oil is stored in can and come from the vessel engine.
The collection of this is done by van.

e) Collect of hazardous and special waste

We can recovered also one vessel different kind of waste more or less pollutant, more or less dangerous : for the polluting products, that can be the oily rags used for the cleaning of the machine as well as the used paintings cans, the plastic used for packing, the metal parts,the worn-out ropes…
For the dangerous and also pollutant products, we can find the out- of-date distress signals, as well as the out-of-date medical. This kind of waste often contains chemical substances.

All these residues must be carried in a specialised centre of destruction where they will be incinerated or recycled.

The MARPOL certificate

For every intervention and taking in charge, a MARPOL certificate for the appropriate class is produced and delivered to the ship’s master.

This certificate is for the chief a proof evidence which justify the good recycling of the wastes in case of control.

SERMAP

Settled on the industrial an port area of Marseilles-Fos for 15 years, the company SERMAP provides all assistance to the calling ships on behalf of the husbanding 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, medicals,…

Collection, holding and transport of bilge water or sludge are conducted by
barge (up to 300 MT) or vacuum truck (10 to 20 cbm) or tank truck (9 to 28 cbm)

For every intervention and taking in charge, a MARPOL certificate for the appropriate class is produced and delivered to the ship’s master.

SERMAP company provides permanent services (H24 SHINC) in accordance with the shortness of the calls.

C. Our customers

Our main customers are the shipping agent because they use to call us in case of wastes recovering, but more and more the ship comes real and faithful customers.

a) The shipping agent

The majority of the shipping agents of the Marseilles area appeal our company when our services are necessary, then inform us on the name, the place and the kind of waste to recover.
Much contract have been negotiated with agents, but the recovery of residues is a too small part of their activities, so they do not prospect the ship for this service which is not yet systematic proposed in all the seaports.
The shipping agents remains interesting customer for our company because the keeps the monopoly of some shipping companies.

b) The ship

The ship are naturally the most interesting target customers for our company indeed they are the first interested ones by our services owing to the fact that we issue a certificate which their makes it possible to navigate in all peace with regard to degasification at sea live has screw of the maritime authorities.

c) Other

A lot of different company ca call us in case of liquid residues to recovered, but these operation are feasible only if it’s big quantities to give certificates.