Grounded Cordova vessel under Coast Guard watch
A 77-foot integrated tug and barge home ported in Cordova is grounded on the Gulf of Alaska coast, 60 miles southeast of Cordova, as salvage plans continue, with the situation being monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Cordova Times reports.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is also monitoring response efforts, Coast Guard officials said July 28.
"With the threat of pollution removed, Alaska Marine Response, LLC is working to assess structural damage and develop a salvage plan to remove the tug and barge from the beach," said Lt. Keyth Pankau, response department head, Marine Safety Unit Valdez. "Due to the remote location of the grounding, salvage operations are anticipated to span several weeks and are dependent on equipment availability, weather and tides," he said.
The Hook Point-Alaganik, with two people on board, was working on a tsunami debris cleanup project on the Alaskan coast on July 24 when the vessel encountered a combination of heavy waves, strong currents and river ice from the mouth of the Seal River, Coast Guard officials.
River currents caused the vessel to swing broadside into the waves, lifting the vessel up and then down directly onto large pieces of river ice. The impact with the ice broke the mechanical system holding the tug Hook Point and barge Alaganik together and both were washed up onto the beach, spokespersons for the Coast Guard said.
Both persons on board donned survival suits, abandoned ship and made it safely to the beach with assistance from a shoreside cleanup crew. No injuries were reported.
The owner of the tug and barge contracted with Alaska Marine Response LLC, whose personnel arrived at the site of the grounding via aircraft on the evening of July 25, offloaded response equipment and began fuel removal operations on the tug and barge.
As of late on July 27, all recoverable fuel and oil had been removed from the vessel, a total of 1,740 gallons of diesel fuel and 225 gallons of hydraulic and miscellaneous fluids. All fuels and liquids are being stored in containers above the high water line and both the tug and barge remain on the beach. No sheen has been reported since the time of the incident.
