By MarEx 2015-07-13 16:22:52
Royal Dutch Shell said it is sending the Finnish icebreaker Femmica to Portland, Oregon for repairs.
The vessel was found to have a three-foot long, one inch wide gash along its hull. Meanwhile, the oil company said the latest setback should not delay its plan to drill in the Chukchi Sea in northern Alaska later this month.
The Fennica is one of two icebreakers and part of Shell’s fleet of 30 ships, but the ship is transporting a capping stack, which is critcal in contain a oil well blown-out undersea.
Last month, the Interior Department of instructed Shell that it could not drill the arctic wells within 15 miles of each other in order to protect maine mammals in the region. Shell has not drilled in the arctic since 2012 and has spent about $12 billion on exploration of the region. It is also waiting for two more permits prior to beginning operations.
This post was sourced from Maritime Executive: View original article here.
