Cook Inlet’s response fleet will enjoy an increase in its on-water storage capabilities this year. Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, Inc. (CISPRI) announced that it has finalized purchase of the 80,000 barrel Sasanoa Barge.

The vessel will be used primarily as contingency temporary storage when other barges are out of service or out of the region, CISPRI says. The purchase is part of a longer-term plan to replace older vessels as they reach the end of their service life.

This addition comes after the recent grounding of CISPRI Barge 141, which caused damage that took the barge offline for several weeks, highlighting the need for contingency equipment. We congratulate CISPRI and its members on their effort to bring this valuable resource here.