The 333-meter-long behemoth USS Harry S. Truman has been highly visible in the Oslo Fjord.
When USS Harry S. Truman — one of the largest aircraft carriers in the world — arrives in the Oslo Fjord, it's not a common sight. The 333-meter-long (equivalent to 3 football fields), nuclear-powered giant, named after the 33rd President of the United States, is an impressive presence as it docks. With the capacity to carry up to 90 aircraft and equipped for everything from combat operations to humanitarian missions, it’s a unique feature in the landscape outside Akershus Fortress. It was therefore a significant moment for us at SAR to be asked by the Norwegian Waste Agency (NWAAS) to lead the mission involving the safe handling of sewage and oily water from this massive vessel.
After the success of a similar mission last year for the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, we were once again entrusted with managing waste from the USS Harry S. Truman. The mission was carried out in collaboration with NWAAS and largely involved leading and managing the complex logistics required to handle such a large volume of waste and slop water in a safe and environmental manner.
A Massive Logistics Operation
Handling waste from a ship of this size is no small task. The carrier has a crew of up to 5,000 personnel. Over six days, a staggering 35,000 cubic meters of sewage and 100 cubic meters of slop water (oily water) were received at the dock. To put this into perspective: 35,000 cubic meters of sewage is equivalent to the content of 3,500 IBC containers! The slop water was transported by boat and processed at SAR’s own water treatment facility in Mongstad. This is the largest facility in Norway for the treatment of industrial wastewater.
Sindre Håland from SAR led the project, organizing close collaboration between SAR and NWAAS to ensure smooth waste management. This mission required careful coordination between various stakeholders to guarantee seamless operations. SAR was present on-site for several days to oversee the work, while partners carried out specific parts of the operation.
Sindre Håland from SAR and Bård Solbakk from NWAAS are pleased with the collaboration.
“We are proud to be chosen again. This is a recognition of our capacity to handle demanding logistics and large amounts of waste.” - Sindre Håland, Sales Manager at SAR.
Prepared for Future Challenges
With the success of handling waste from USS Harry S. Truman and previous missions with NWAAS, we look forward to contributing to future visits of a similar scale. For the Oslo Fjord, SAR, and NWAAS, this was a spectacular experience that set the standard for how large-scale operations can be conducted efficiently.
A big thank you goes to Bård Solbakk and NWAAS for the collaboration and the opportunity to complete yet another successful project.
