Denmark issues growth plan for the Danish maritime sector
On 14 March, the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs made its Maritime Denmark publication available for distribution. The document addresses the country’s maritime growth plan through 2025. Included in the plan is an effort to make Denmark an “internationally recognized pioneer” in the areas of offshore energy and other industrial sectors, such as climate solutions and food production. As a part of its overall plan, Denmark is focusing on its stable investment frameworks to attract offshore development and the modernization of Danish offshore installations.
Click here to learn more about the Danish growth plan
US imposes tariff on steel and aluminum imports
On 8 March, US President Donald Trump signed a declaration that imposes a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum imported to the US. On 18 March, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its procedures for excluding products from the recently announced tariffs. The exclusion request procedures were published in the 19 March Federal Register, and the DOC also began accepting such requests on the same date.
US Coast Guard and BSEE to begin focused crane inspection campaign
On 12 March, the US Coast Guard announced a joint crane inspection program with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). This undertaking is in response to BSEE data collected over the course of 2016-2017, which revealed 175 crane incidents had occurred in that time frame. The data reflects the continued high-risk nature of offshore crane operations.
Beginning this spring, interagency teams will be visiting multiple drilling and production operations across the US Gulf of Mexico. Data collected from this joint effort will contribute to further analysis, which will culminate in a future report and recommendations for increasing the safety of crane operations.
Click here for details about the crane inspection campaign
BSEE-sponsored subsea bolting report released
Commissioned in September 2016, the “High-Performance Bolting Technology for Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Operations” report was published on 9 March. The report summarizes strategies for improving the reliability of fasteners used in offshore applications. These include the accurate assessment of equipment field performance before failure; roadmaps for reliability R&D; improved information sharing of failures; and promulgating best practices throughout the supply chain.
Click here to access the subsea bolting report
BSEE adopts new process to review permitting system
The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) recently implemented a new quality assurance process for reviewing and assessing its permitting systems. The process seeks to reflect on permits issued by the agency and to inform best practices for offshore energy permitting. The directive requires the agency to conduct periodic review and assessment of permitting processes for consistency, timeliness and efficiency.
