Crowley tug aground in Alaska – by Jack Gaston

Pathfinder ran aground on 23 December on Bligh Reef, the location in Prince William Sound where the ill-fated Exxon Valdez was badly damaged 20 years earlier, causing the nation’s greatest oil spill disaster. The Coast Guard reported that the 41.45m (136 foot) tug with a crew of six had just completed an ice survey and was heading back to port in Valdez when the incident occurred.

Damage was caused to the tug’s keel and two fuel tanks containing an estimated 33,500 gallons of diesel fuel, about a quarter of their total capacity. A boom was quickly put around the tug by the crew, once the vessel had cleared the reef. Tests on the crew for alcohol use proved negative.

Pathfinder was reported stabilised on 25 December and at anchor near Busby Island surrounded by oil spill containment boom. A salvage team from Titan Salvage evaluated the damage to the tug and the remaining diesel fuel from two ruptured tanks was transferred to another vessel. The tug was subsequently towed to Valdez for further inspection. A joint investigation is underway by the US Coast Guard and Crowley. The tugboat’s master and second mate have been relieved of duty pending further investigation.

At the time of writing, the amount of fuel actually spilt had not been calculated. A light sheen of diesel fuel was seen outside the boom and was treated with skimmers and absorbents. Officials said that no animals were injured and the fuel didn’t reach land. It was expected that most of the light diesel fuel spilled would evaporate.

Pathfinder was one of the fleet that is part of a Ship Escort Response Vessel System formed to serve Alyeska after the Exxon Valdez catastrophe in 1989. Rockwell Smith, senior vice president and general manager, Pacific/Alaska, told the press, ‘All of us at Crowley are deeply disappointed and saddened that this grounding occurred. We regret that we’ve disrupted service to Alyeska and that fuel has been released into the water. We will get to the bottom of this and take all necessary corrective actions.’

Ironically it was announced early in December that Crowley Maritime Corporation was recently honoured at a ‘Chamber Shipping of America’ awards ceremony with Environmental Achievement Awards for 2009. The awards recognized the environmental excellence of 83 Crowley owned or managed vessels for operating at least two years without any environmental incidents. The Crowley vessels recognised have provided a combined total of 675 years of service without incident. Fifteen of the vessels have each operated 10 years or more without an incident. Of special note were Crowley’s tug Pathfinder, which until recently had operated for 32 years without incident; tug Sea Voyager, 18 years and tug Stalwart 27 years.