The US Coast Guard on Wednesday (8 February) said a tug vessel, Tagish, was partially submerged with an observed oil sheen at the National Guard Dock in vicinity of the Alaska Marine Lines yard in Gastineau Channel.
It said the Juneau Sector received a report of the incident on 29 December 2022.
The US Coast Guard said removal operations for the tugboat are scheduled, weather pending, to be conducted later this week and into the weekend.
Melino’s Marine Services, the contracted salvage company, plans to remove the vessel utilising a barge and crane system that are currently enroute from Bellingham, Washington.
The operation is expected to take multiple days pending weather conditions. Once the vessel is removed, it will be transferred via barge to an out-of-state disposal site.
Personnel from the Coast Guard, City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Melino’s Marine Services were involved in response efforts.
A containment boom was placed around the vessel to contain any residual oil or pollution. Melino’s Marine Services utilised divers to plug any holding tank vents to further secure the vessel from pollution discharge.
“This interagency collaboration highlights the importance of our federal, state and local partners in mitigating and removing pollution threats from our waterways,” said Capt. Darwin Jensen, commanding officer, Sector Juneau. “These relationships have been instrumental to the success of this planning effort.”
On Jan. 9, the Coast Guard federalised the response effort utilising money from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to secure funding for the removal of the pollution threat.
The vessel owner will remain responsible for the salvage disposal fees.
Photo credit: US Coast Guard
Published: 9 February, 2023
Transferred shares of 40 subsidiaries to BVI firm after tribunal awarded claims in favour of Trinity Seatrading; YSPL has also filed a civil complaint against DNV and Liberian ship registry at Nanjing Maritime Court.
ADNOC L&S, Gulf Energy Maritime, Cockett Marine Oil, Mideast/Bahri Ship Management and VPS experts present their views on biofuel bunker hurdles at the VPS Biofuels Seminar in Dubai on 16 March.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.