Boats in storage create major ripple effects

Text and photo: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

- When the boats are ashore for so long, they must be regularly emptied of septic tanks, says Tommy Hoveland from Hansen Renovasjon.

On the quayside in Lyngdal harbor he has parked a car and a trailer. A snake floats in the sea. It is connected to the car and extends to the anchored seismic vessel SW Bly.

- THIS IS IT second trip we have to this boat today. So here are large quantities that are going up, says Tommy.

The client is FFS, which has management on the storage boats in Lundevågen and Agnefest.

- FFS is among our largest individual customers and periodically gives us a lot of work. Among other things, we are hired to handle hazardous waste, empty the boats of septic tanks and take care of oil spills, says general manager of Hansen Renovasjon, Rune Hansen.

HE PRAISES FFS to use local suppliers, and receives support from Kjell Rune Stålesen - general manager of Stålesen Mechanical Workshop.

- The very best thing is to get local assignments. FFS is happy to hire us to assemble winches, weld and do other mechanical work on board the storage boats. In total, this can amount to a few million kroner a year in turnover for us, says Stålesen.

Another local company that FFS often asks for assistance from is Einar Øgrey Farsund. This summer, the mechanical workshop has carried out welding, burning and cutting jobs in connection with the mobilization and demobilization of seismic boats in Lundevågen.

- DESSUTEN BLIR we are often asked to check the fastening structures on board. Then we certify the lifting points through so-called NDP control of the welds that have been performed, says Arne Marthinsen, general manager of Einar Øgrey Farsund.

NDP stands for "nondestructive testing", ie inspection without reducing the physical properties of the test object.

EVEN ABOUT BOATS in circulation is basically a sign of a downturn, Marthinsen points out that the business provides great local value creation.

- The alternative in such times is that the harbor is empty, and we do not want that. In the long term, however, we hope to create port-related activity with many new jobs. Maybe we will establish a base for offshore wind in Farsund, says Marthinsen.