You're here: Home / Cases / Caring for them like our goldfish at home Menu ‘Caring for them like our goldfish at home’ Environmental responsibility - Gabon Scroll down Caring for them like our goldfish at home Just off the coast of Gabon, in one of West Africa’s biggest marine reserves, Smit Lamnalco performs a delicate operation. With two dedicated tugs, a pilot boat and a beach landing craft we provide turnkey marine support to a Shell operated SPM terminal, and we do so with the greatest care. Next to safety, environmental protection is the first thing on our minds. In Gabon we are embedded in nature. We work amidst endangered dolphins, turtles and whales and our base is located in the middle of a forest reserve, seven miles upstream the Nyanga River. We follow a strict garbage management policy, ensure that there is no harmful substance or pollutant discharged into the river by our vessels and special attention is paid to operation with oil transfer to ensure there is no oil spill. All environmental safety rules and procedures are followed; we make an effort by conducting daylight-operations only and maintaining a minimum speed while cruising the river. Even driving on the road is done at a speed that makes minimal impact on the pristine wildlife surrounding us. We always have a double lookout on the bridge as the river is home to hippos and crocodiles and is a favourite water hole for elephants and other big game. We take pride in protecting the environment. 1 2 3 4 Previous Next Transfer of knowledge and skills We operate in accordance with local agreements and regulations and rely on the local content, trained and developed by us, to deliver the best services to our client. In fact, our operation in Gabon rests entirely on the knowledge and experience of our local officers. They know the river like the back of their hands, even with the shifting sand banks they manage to cross the bar at the river mouth safely every time and are seasoned in servicing SPM terminals in protected coastal waters. As the expertise of our captains is invaluable to our operation, we try our best to pass it on to the next generation. To maximise the transfer of knowledge and skills, our talented young navigating officer works together with the seasoned captains to learn the ropes. Our retired captains regularly interact with the staff on board to pass on tips and expertise gained over the years. Protecting the environment starts with preserving our own qualities for generations to come. For more information, please contact Rob Louvet – Managing Director Africa Share this case Driven by local expertise Previous case Going the extra mile at the end of the world Next case Dedicated to the extreme Contact Careers Publications Disclaimer & Privacy Policy Gladstone Towage Terms and Conditions Our Shareholders Back to top