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WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY |
Emergency response tug assists cargo ship inbound for Vancouver, BCposted 03/10/2009
Monday, at about 11:30 a.m., the captain of the VIJITRA NAREE, a 12 year old, 541-foot grain ship, which is empty and in-ballast, notified the U.S. Coast Guard that the vessel had excessive main engine exhaust gas temperature requiring them to shut down their main propulsion engine. At about noon, the vessel purposely shutdown its engine and drifted south towards Duntze Rock. The ship, owned by Precious Orchids, Ltd. had been heading into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with a final destination of the Port of Vancouver, British Columbia. It has a diesel fuel capacity of 474,222 gallons. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) directed the state-funded Neah Bay emergency response tug HUNTER to render aid as required. HUNTER arrived at 1 p.m.to assist the cargo ship. Winds were easterly at 10-15 miles per hour and sea swells at about six feet. Shortly after the HUNTER reached the VIJITRA NAREE, the vessel got under way using its own engine with reduced power after isolating one of the engine cylinders. HUNTER escorted the ship as it re-entered the eastbound traffic lanes. At approximately 2:15PM, the U. S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port issued an Order requiring the ship to have a tug escort during its transit of United States' waters enroute to Canada. Current state funding for the response tug will end on June 30th. Governor Gregoire's proposed budget would extend funding for an additional year, through June 30, 2010. The state Legislature is now considering a bill that would require the shipping industry to pay for year round emergency tug service beginning on July 1, 2010. "Events such as this one prove that a response tug is an important part of our effort to prevent environmental damage in Puget Sound and our state," said Dale Jensen, who oversees Ecology's spills program. "Loss of propulsion or steering can happen to a ship at any time of the year and an oil spill from a ship that runs aground could cause tremendous harm to marine life, coastal communities, sport and commercial fishing, tourism, and tribal resources." State-funded rescue tug dispatched to aid cargo shipPhoto of New Carissa contributed posted 03/06/2006 The Cyprus-based Khorol was headed for Puget Sound when it reported engine problems to Coast Guard Sector Seattle late Friday evening, March 2, 2007. The Coast Guard directed the 377-foot long refrigerated cargo ship to stay offshore until the Gladiator, a rescue tug funded by the state Department of Ecology (DOE), could reach the ship to escort it into Port Angeles for engine repair. Crews on the Khorol made emergency engine repairs at sea, but about three miles outside Port Angeles, the engine failed. The rescue tug, already escorting the ship, then brought it in to Port Angeles. The Gladiator will be on standby in the harbor until engine repairs on the cargo ship are completed. DOE and the Coast Guard will oversee repairs before the ship is allowed to continue its journey. The agent for the Khorol has been attempting to find a relief tug since early Saturday, so the Gladiator can return to its regular duties at Neah Bay. This incident points out the need for high horsepower tugs to be available to assist ships with loss of power or other incidents that jeopardize the safety of the crew and the environment, according to the Coast Guard. "The public is thankful that we have a resource like the Gladiator in emergency situations to keep our waters safe and prevent spills," Dale Jensen, DOE's spills program manager.
"This is a perfect example of why the state needs to continue to fund the rescue tug," said Councilman Ranker. "If the rescue tug had not been in position, we could easily have had another New Carissa right here in the Puget Sound." According to the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife Web site: On February 4, 1999, the New Carissa, an empty 660-foot long cargo ship, went aground just north of the entrance to Coos Bay, Oregon. Pounded in the high surf and strong winds of a pacific storm, the vessel began breaking up. An attempt was made to burn away some of its hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel oil before the ship broke apart. The precise amount of oil released from the damaged ship is difficult to determine, but has been estimated by various sources at somewhere between 25,000 gallons and 140,000 gallons. Most of the spilled oil is something called "Bunker C," an extremely thick oil used for fuel by large ships. The Coast Guard and DOE work together to protect the waters of Washington state. Ecology oversees the rescue tug contract. Crowley Marine Services, based in Jacksonville, Fla., has been providing rescue tug service since Jan. 1, and will do so through this March or April. The state has stationed a standby tug at Neah Bay since the spring of 1999 to help assist disabled ships traveling off the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca from drifting onto rocks and spilling oil. During this time, rescue tugs have come to the aid of 30 disabled ships. The tug protects a particularly vulnerable area of Washington's outer coast, which is environmentally sensitive and irreplaceable. State lawmakers provided Ecology $1.4 million with the goal of providing about 200 days of rescue tug service for the 2006-07 winter season. HOW TO CONTACT THE GOVERNOR and LEGISLATORS: Ecology signs contract for 2007 rescue tug coverageposted 11/16/2006
The agreement fills a gap created when Foss Maritime opted out of its contract in August due to a shortage of tugs. Foss did agree to keep a rescue tug stationed at Neah Bay from Nov. 1 through until Dec. 31, 2006. Yesterday, (Nov. 15, 2006) Foss deployed its Neah Bay rescue tug into the Strait of Juan de Fuca as a precautionary measure due to the stormy weather and rough seas. A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay since the spring of 1999 to help assist disabled ships traveling off the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca from drifting onto rocks and spilling oil. During this time, rescue tugs have come to the aid of 29 disabled ships. Under the new contract, Crowley Maritime, based in Jacksonville, Fla., will provide rescue tug service from Jan. 1 through March or April, for $8,500 a day plus fuel. "It is vital that we have a tug at Neah Bay to prevent oil spills in one of the most environmentally sensitive and valuable areas of Washington," said Dale Jensen, who oversees spill prevention, preparedness and response activities for Ecology. "Even under the best of conditions, oil is a challenge to clean up and all but impossible to contain during the roughest weather months." A major spill could hurt Washington's fishing and shellfish industries, further endanger salmon runs, kill birds and marine mammals, ruin public beaches, and dampen tourism. "I am very pleased that Crowley is able to build on its many years of service in enhancing commerce, protecting the environment, and ensuring the safety of ship's crews in Washington state. We look forward to working with Ecology, the Makah Indian Tribe, the Coast Guard and others in the maritime community as we continue this important protective measure for our coastline," said John Douglass, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Crowley Maritime. Winter storms present a higher risk of oil spills from the more than 7,000 tankers and cargo ships traveling through the Strait each year. Cargo ships can carry more than 2 million gallons of cargo oil, and oil barges or tankers can carry up to 40 million gallons of oil. Beaches in the Olympic National Park, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and tribal lands are directly at risk for major oil spills since they are adjacent to the shipping route. Rescue tug service starts Nov. 1posted 09/22/2006
Winter storms present a higher risk of oil spills from the more than 7,000 tankers and cargo ships traveling through the strait each year. Cargo ships can carry up to 1 million gallons of cargo oil, and oil barges or tankers can carry up to 33 million gallons of oil. Since 1999, the rescue tug has assisted 29 disabled ships plying state waters. "Preventing oil spills is our primary mission because we know that even under the best of conditions, oil is difficult to clean up but impossible to contain in the bad weather our coast often experiences," said Dale Jensen, who manages Ecology's spills program. The state Legislature provided $1.4 million with the goal of providing 200 days of service for the 2006-07 winter season. For about $6,000 a day Foss Maritime was slated to provide rescue tug coverage this winter. In August, the tug and barge company notified Ecology that the company is experiencing a shortage of tugs in the Pacific Northwest and exercised its option to opt out of its 2006-07 contract for the month of October. Foss will station a rescue tug at Neah Bay in November and December. Ecology sought to find coverage for October 2006. The department, however, received a single bid for $22,500 a day to place a rescue tug at Neah Bay. "Unfortunately the bid was too high. If we had accepted it, we would have been in the position of spending nearly all the money earmarked for the tug in three months - with some of the worst winter months to come," said Dale Jensen, who manages Ecology's spills program. "The current contract issue highlights the need to find a stable, long-term funding source for a rescue tug," Jensen said that during October 2006, Ecology will have the option to charter a tug if a major storm hits the coast. Ecology also will solicit bids seeking rescue tug service for winter 2007 and the next 2007-08 winter season. A major spill could cost millions to respond and cleanup and hurt Washington's fishing and shellfish industries, further endanger salmon runs, kill birds and marine mammals, ruin public beaches, halt vessel traffic, and dampen tourism, said Jensen. |
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