The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Gulf of Mexico: Oilring disaster [ 1213 ]


 Oil spill in Gulf of Mexico: in maps and graphics

Map

A massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is slowly starting to reach the shore, according to reports.

BBC .,, 4 May 2010 10:51 UK..-  Up to five thousand barrels a day are thought to be leaking from the site of the Deepwater Horizon rig which sank on 22 April after an explosion in which 11 workers lost their lives.
The delicate eco-system of the gulf coastline is rich in wildlife including the brown pelican, many species of duck, turtles, and whales.
There are fears that the disaster could reach the scale of the 11m gallon Exxon Valdez spill off Alaska in 1989.

How the oil has spread
Approximate oil locations 22 April - 7 May

TACKLING THE OIL SLICK
Emergency teams are using several methods in attempts to deal with the oil at the surface. More than 41 miles of floating boom is being used to contain the oil, with 58 miles on standby. Skimmers, which skate over the water, brushing up the oil are also being employed and more than 20,300 barrels of oil-water mix have been removed. Dispersant chemicals, rather like soap, are being sprayed from ships and aircraft in an effort to help break down the oil - which is also degraded by wind and waves. Burning is another method used to tackle oil spills - although it can be tricky to carry out and has associated environmental risks such as toxic smoke. So far emergency crews have had little success in containing the spill using those methods. However the Coast Guard's head, Adm Thad Allen, said new underwater technology aimed at stopping crude rising to the surface at the site of the leak had been tested on Friday, and seemed to be effective.
Surface methods for dealing with oil spills
UNDERWATER EFFORTS
Five thousand feet (1,500m) below the surface, four robotic submersibles have been in almost constant operation, trying to activate the blow-out preventer, a set of huge valves designed to seal the well. Experts believe the blow-out preventer (BOP) must have partially triggered otherwise the flow of oil to the surface would be more extreme than it is. However, BP, which owns the well, announced on 3 May that the remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) had not yet been successful in further activating the BOP and it is unclear whether this is now possible. In an unusual move, the company has also started using dispersant chemicals down at the leak site as well as on the surface. The next course of action is to lower a giant "dome" or canopy over the site to funnel the oil to the surface and dispose of it there, possibly on board a specialist vessel. BP is building the structure and expects to begin testing it on site in just over a week's time. This method has not been tried at such depths before and the company says the effectiveness will not be known until it is tried out. A long-term solution is also in progress - drilling a relief well which can tap into the leaking well and take the oil. However, it could be three months before this is operational.
Infographic showing three different treatments of oil leak
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