Tug aground

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united states coast guard\ 311x87

News Release U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
Office: (907) 428-4181
After Hours: (907) 209-6509
17th District online newsroom

Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Western Towboat establish unified command, respond to tug grounding in the Neva Strait, Alaska

Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Western Towboat respond to tug grounding in Neva Strait, Alaska\ 250x156 Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Western Towboat respond to tug grounding in Neva Strait, Alaska\ 250x156 Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Western Towboat respond to tug grounding in the Neva Strait, Alaska\ 250x156

Editors’ Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Western Towboat have established a unified command in response to a tug grounding in the Neva Strait, Monday.

No injuries have been reported and all four crew members were safely transferred from Western Mariner, an 83-foot inspected tug, to a nearby vessel. All fuel manifolds on board the tug have been secured to isolate the ruptured tank, and fuel offload efforts have commenced.

A sheen was observed around the tug, and containment measures have been deployed to reduce the spread of oil. The tug owner, Western Towboat, has contracted Hanson Maritime, SEAPRO, and Global Diving & Salvage to respond.

Multiple vessels, including tugs Banner and Salvation, and fishing vessel Nushagak Spirit, are on scene tending the barge, which has now been anchored in Neva Strait with no impact to vessel traffic.

The Coast Guard has deployed responders to oversee response operations. Natural resource agencies are assessing potential environmental impacts, and the Coast Guard is consulting with federally recognized tribes in the area.

Watchstanders in the Sector Juneau command center received a radio call at 2:55 a.m. from Western Mariner stating that while towing Chichagof Provider, a 286-foot containerized barge, in Neva Strait, the barge collided with the tug causing it to run hard aground. The collision caused a rupture to one of the tug’s fuel tanks, which contains a maximum capacity of 13,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

-USCG-

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Following current can rip through there but I don’t know how they got hit by the barge. Propulsion failure?

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That would be my guess. I did some digging. . twin screw, hydraulic clutches. Fuel maybe?

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I used to tow 8 section log rafts through there. Quite a place to operate for sure.
Western towboat has a good safety record and many years of experience in SE Alaska waters.so this is unusual.
I’m wondering if the tug & barge in the incident are a feeder service from Ketchikan or Juneau.

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I believe that boat does the feeder service from Petersburg to Sitka, Kake, etc. If so, they are going through there twice a week at least. That route to Sitka has no room for error or mechanical failure along most it’s length. I feel for the crew.

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I just read where the Western Mariner lost power and then was hit by her barge which forced it aground. This was reported by NOAA incident news.

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But the question arises just how the tug lost power.