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Tug Pathfinder Grounding on Bligh Reef�December 23, 2009�

by�Joel Kennedy

Tug Pathfinder Defined

•  Built in 1970 (Sea Swift Class) •  Conventional design •  Owner: Crowley Maritime •  136 feet LOA •  Primary Use: Response •  All Electronics and Engineering Systems

Fully Operational, including AIS

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Incident Description

•  Ice Scouting Mission – Reported no ice in the Valdez Arm – Transiting back to Port Valdez

•  Reported aground on Bligh Reef at 1814 •  Reports off Bligh Reef and discharging

diesel at 1830 •  Pathfinder proceeds to Busby Island

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Pathfinder Captain Experience

•  Over 30 years of licensed sailing experience •  Over 20 years of which were in PWS •  Alcohol results: Negative •  Drug results: Pending

Cause & Investigation(s)

•  Human error? •  Loss of situational awareness •  Proper watch keeping and watch relief procedures

•  Crowley Investigation: Pending •  U.S.C.G. Investigation (VTC): Pending •  U.S,C.G. Investigation (Pathfinder):

Pending

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Response Management for Pathfinder Spill

•  Crowley was the contractor to provide certain oil spill response services for APSC

•  Chadux was the (OSRO) Oil Spill Removal Organization for Crowley’s Contingency Plan to provide equipment and personnel

•  Chadux contracted equipment and personnel from APSC for the response

•  The O’Brian Response Management provided IMT and spill management personnel

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Initial Response for Pathfinder Spill

Wednesday; December 23, 2009 • 2200-2300; Invader, Alert, and Valdez Star arrives with CSI boom, anchoring systems, and response personnel (4 TCC and 1 Alyeska RC)

• Thursday; December 24, 2009 • 0130; Alaska Challenger arrives on scene with divers • 0640; 6 Fishing Vessels Deployed • 0800; Endurance Dispatched with Current Buster, Mini Barge, and lightering equipment • 0805; Boom Deployment around Pathfinder complete

Response Effort for Pathfinder Spill

•  Thursday and Friday; Valdez Star and 2 Current Busters worked the leading edge of slick on (recovered undetermined amount of diesel)

•  1700 Friday; Lightering Started •  0040 Sunday; Invader Arrived to Port Valdez

with Pathfinder in tow •  Determined the amount of spill at

approximately 6,400 gallons

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PWS Vessel Traffic System

•  PWSVTS Mission: •  “Our mission is to prevent accidents, loss of life and

damage to property and the environment.”

•  Pathfinder = VMRS User: •  Towing vessel of >8 meters in length, while navigating •  Full participation required

–  Sailing Plan –  Sailing Plan Deviation –  Position Report –  Final report

PWS Vessel Traffic System (cont)

•  All Traffic Center equipment fully operational? •  Human Factor? •  Track lines •  Communications •  U.S. Coast Guard District Seventeen investigating

the VTC

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Pathfinder alongside Petro Star dock

End of Presentation

•  Questions?