Overview

A key to the process for identifying additional navigational safeguards in Cook Inlet is a U.S. Coast Guard-led comprehensive navigational risk assessment. The 1999 “Safety of Navigation” Forum, organized by Cook Inlet RCAC and held in Homer emphasized this need. Over the past year, Cook Inlet RCAC has made repeated attempts to secure agency funding for such an assessment with only limited success. The Seabulk Pride grounding reminded everyone that there is no time to waste on this important issue and the Council remains optimistic that the funds will be appropriated to begin this long overdue study of the risks in Cook Inlet. Cook Inlet RCAC Executive Director Michael Munger met with the ADEC Commisioner Kurt Fredrickson directly after the Seabulk Pride grounding and secured a commitment from the department to request 250,000 in their budget beginning July 2007 to conduct the assessment. Mr. Munger also met with the previous Commander of the 17th Coast Guard District, Admiral James Olson, to ensure that the Coast Guard viewed Cook Inlet as a high priority. Cook Inlet RCAC has also been working with Alaska’s congressional delegation to identify funding in the Coast Guard budget to conduct the assessment.

Vessel traffic study
Our PROPS Committee commissioned a vessel traffic study which culminated in a written report and illustrated inventory of vessel traffic movements in Cook Inlet. The report by Dave Eley of Cape Decision, Inc. may be used as a reference document to support discussions on the environmental risks associated with vessel traffic in the area, as well as any discussions regarding mishap prevention initiatives. This study, funded solely by Cook Inlet RCAC, will also be used to augment the navigational risk assessment once it begins.

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Facilities and Pipelines
Seabulk Pride Incident

Interactive Photo Gallery

CLICK HERE for the 02.16.06 news release regarding a Seabulk Pride Incident Panel Discussion at the CIRCAC Annual Meeting February 24 in Kenai.

Related CIRCAC Documents:
Safety of Navigation in Cook Inlet Proceedings (812 kb - PDF)
Dickson Report on Safety of Navigation and Contingency Plans (272 kb - PDF)

The Seabulk Pride left port Wednesday, February 8, returned briefly to Kachemak Bay as foul weather approached the region, and continued out of port thereafter when the weather improved.  Responders had successfully re-floated the 574-foot Seabulk Pride Friday, February 3 at 8:30 a.m. before escorting it south out of the ice flow and bringing it into port in Kachemak Bay around 5:00 that evening.  Divers surveying the vessel in Kachemak Bay noted a dimple and several cracks in the outer hull requiring repair before continuing to Anacortes, Washington where it will offload its cargo.  There was no indication of leaking product in or out of the vessel, according to authorities.

The U.S. Coast Guard approved the vessel's transit to Kachemak Bay as a Place of Refuge after preliminary surveys aboard the vessel determined that the vessel was sound to continue there.  Once in the bay, the American Bureau of Shipping completed a dive survey that led to the repairs.  The cracks in the ship's bow, apparently the result of grinding against a boulder on the beach, allowed water to leak into the space between the hulls.  Because the vessel was double-hulled, the cargo remained in tact and no oil leaked from the storage tanks.  Following repairs in Kachemak Bay, crews also pressure tested valves and manifolds before gaining approval from the U.S. Coast Guard to leave port.  

At approximately 5:25 a.m. February 3, an ice flow struck the double-hulled/double-bottomed tanker tearing it away from its mooring at the KPL Dock where it had been loading fuel product and pushed it hard aground one-half mile north of the dock, approximately 200 yards north of the ASRC/Rig Tenders facility (see photo at left).  The M/V Champion attached a two line tow to the Seabulk Pride but was unable to pull the vessel free by itself.  Unified Command had planned a second attempt to pull the tanker off the beach with the high tide Thursday evening but safety concerns regarding one of tugs and other considerations postponed the attempt to approximately 7:00 a.m. the next morning.  The service vessel Seabulk Nevada, Stellar Wind and Glacier Wind were in the immediate vicinity preparing for the attempt before a fourth vessel, the tug Pacific Challenger, arrived at 6:00 a.m. the next day and assisted with the effort.

The tide was estimated to be at a +17 when the vessel went aground and a -0.4 low tide occurred at 1:37 p.m. leaving the vessel high and dry with even its prop out of the water.  The following morning's tide of +22.6, approximately a foot higher than the previous evening's tide proved adequate to re-float the vessel and allow tugs to pull the tanker into deeper waters.

Responders saw no oil in any overflights during the day even using an infrared camera.  In the event of a spill, 880 bbls of storage were available on-scene.  Five skimming systems were also available, three of which are a "rope mop" type.  Because the fuel on board was extremely viscous, removal would have required heating it.  There were no plans to lighter the fuel before towing it from the beach, however, the crew did continue heating the viscous product in the event that some or all of the fuel had to be removed.  A temporary generator placed on the ship provided limited power on board the tanker during low tides when the ship's regular power system had to be shut down.

Two large tugs had also been summoned from Prince William Sound but were not expected to arrive until later in the day on February 3 and 4.  The 7200 hp Sea Voyager tug had been en route with an estimate arrival of Noon Friday while a sister vessel, the Bulwark and Barge 450-3, with a capacity of 149,700 bbl would not have arrived until late that Saturday approximately 36 hours after the grounding.

The tanker was carrying 94,951 barrels of Vacuum Tower Bottom Blend (VTBB), a viscous oil similar to asphalt, 5346 bbls of bunker fuel and 12,400 bbls of Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil (HVGO), both of which are also heavy fuels, 12,870 bbls of gasoline, and 3527 bbls of gas and diesel wash. Tesoro reported that approximately five barrels of product spilled when the ship broke away from the dock. Three barrels remained on the vessel deck and the other two may be on the ground or in the water although responders have not seen sheen in the vicinity. The vessel was transferring both gasoline and HVGO at the same time so the exact volume of each product has not been determined. Tesoro's loading lines and dock are secure.  Responders confirmed that the vessel tanks are secured at this time and an overflight before noon revealed no visible damage or sheen.

Unified Command headquartered at CISPRI with an outpost in Homer after the ship came into port there for repairs.  CIRCAC personnel responded to CISPRI shortly after the call at 6:52 from the Coast Guard.  Both the CIRCAC and PWSRCAC offices maintained notifications to board members, fielding calls from interested citizens, and assisting and observing Unified Command thoughout the response.  Tesoro, response contractors, federal, and state authorities held a press conference at the Kenai Visitor Center the day of the grounding to brief reporters and interested community members.

More information including photos and archived situation reports is available on the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Spill Prevention and Response web site. 

Seabulk Pride photo and diagram source: Tim Robertson/Nuka Research

See also Prince William Sound RCAC's web site for information.

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A Close Call

Early on February 2, 2006, an ice floe tore the tanker Seabulk Pride from its mooring at KPL dock in Nikiski and pushed it aground about one-half mile up the beach. The tanker had been loading gasoline and VTBB, a viscous fuel similar to asphalt, when lines began to part and several barrels spilled onto and over the side of the ship.

Shortly after it grounded, a service vessel attached an emergency tow line to the tanker but was unable to pull it free. Unified Command had planned a second attempt to pull the tanker off the beach with the high tide the same evening but safety concerns regarding one of the tugs and other considerations postponed the attempt to approximately 7:00 a.m. the next morning. The oil spill response vessel Seabulk Nevada and two tugs requested from Anchorage, the Stellar Wind and Glacier Wind, were in the immediate vicinity preparing for the attempt before a fourth vessel, the tug Pacific Challenger, arrived at 6:00 a.m. February 3 and assisted with the refloating effort. Two large tugs had also been summoned from Prince William Sound. The 7200 hp Sea Voyager tug had been en route with an estimated arrival of Noon February 3 while a sister vessel, the Bulwark and Barge 450-3, with a capacity of 149,700 bbl would not have arrived until late that Saturday approximately 36 hours after the grounding.

The tide was estimated to be at a +17 feet the morning the vessel went aground and a -0.4 low tide occurred at 1:37 p.m. leaving the vessel high and dry with even its prop out of the water. The February 3 morning tide of +22.6, approximately one foot higher than the previous evening's tide, was enough to re-float the vessel before tugs pulled the tanker into deeper waters. The U.S. Coast Guard approved the vessel's transit to Kachemak Bay as a Place of Refuge after preliminary surveys in and around the vessel determined that it was sound to continue there. Once in the bay, divers surveyed the vessel for the American Bureau of Shipping. They observed a dimple and several cracks in the outer hull requiring repair before continuing south to offload its cargo. There was no indication of leaking product in or out of the vessel, according to authorities. The cracks in the ship's bow, apparently the result of grinding against a boulder on the beach, allowed water to leak into the space between the hulls. Because the vessel was doublehulled, the cargo remained intact and no oil leaked from the storage tanks. Following repairs in Kachemak Bay, crews also pressure tested valves and manifolds before gaining approval from the Coast Guard to leave port for Anacortes, Washington.

Carrying nearly 5,000,000 gallons of fuel, the tanker threatened the Cook Inlet environment and economy on a scale to rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, inexcusable with the prevention tools available in 2006. An oil spill would be devastating to the commercial fishing fleet and salmon processors that are an integral part of the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island economies. The 1987 Glacier Bay incident spilled 207,000 gallons of oil closing a fishery and costing that industry millions in revenue. The Seabulk Pride cargo presented an even greater challenge because of its viscosity and the presence of sea ice that would have severely limited any spill recovery efforts.

Since the incident, Cook Inlet RCAC has focused on the lessons that would lead to a better understanding of the Seabulk Pride grounding and ultimately to changes to improve vessel safety in Cook Inlet. The Council hosted a moderated panel discussion regarding the incident at its 2006 Board of Directors Annual Meeting in Kenai. Participants from Tesoro Maritime, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Coast Guard, Southwest Alaska Pilots Association, Seabulk Tankers, and Cook Inlet Tug and Barge were on hand to discuss the event and changes to safety procedures. Subsequently, Cook Inlet RCAC passed a resolution calling for the immediate deployment of adequately equipped tug vessels to assist operations at the Nikiski docks. The same resolution also asked shippers and producers to develop a funding formula to provide for such navigational safeguards.

Cook Inlet RCAC also continued its call for a risk assessment to identify safety gaps. A 1999 Cook Inlet RCAC-sponsored forum among environmental organizations, oil industry representatives, native leaders, state and federal elected officials, Coast Guard, and the ADEC determined that an assessment was a critical first step in establishing additional spill prevention safeguards in Cook Inlet. Because the Coast Guard is the regulatory authority for navigational issues in U.S. waters, they are the appropriate agency to conduct the assessment for Cook Inlet. Cook Inlet RCAC strongly supports designating federal funds, $1.5 to $2 million, in the Coast Guard budget to perform this important task and help prevent events like the Seabulk Pride grounding in the future.

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