Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary News

Bellingham, Wash. boatbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has launched the newly built research vessel Gannet for NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS).The newbuild is a 52- by 19-foot semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The vessel is based on the proven design elements found in the recently commissioned research vessel Storm Petrel, built for NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine…

Washington-baed shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) has won a contract to build a research vessel for the NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS). GRNMS is located 19 miles off Sapelo Island, Georgia, and is one of 14 marine sanctuaries and monuments that make up the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System. AAM will build the research vessel at its Bellingham Bay facility. The vessel is a 52’ x 19’ semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand.

Boatbuilder All American Marine (AAM) said it has launched a new 50-foot research vessel for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), designated for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in Washington State.The twin-engine Teknicraft Design vessel was constructed by AAM to USCG Subchapter T standards. It will carry up to 18 personnel on board on a near coastal route. Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary OCNMS) includes 3,188 square miles of marine waters off the rugged Olympic Peninsula coastline.

Bellingham, Wash. aluminum boat builder All American Marine (AAM) said it has been awarded the contract by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to construct a 50’ aluminum research catamaran for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.The twin-engine Teknicraft Design vessel will be constructed by AAM to USCG Subchapter T standards. The vessel will carry up to 18 personnel on board on a near coastal route. Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary OCNMS) includes 3,188 square miles of marine waters off the rugged Olympic Peninsula coastline.

Crews from The Undersea Company of Port Townsend, Wash. have removed the 185-ton dock that crossed the ocean following the March 2011 tsunami. NOAA contracted with The Undersea Company to remove the dock from the remote wilderness coast in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and the Olympic National Park and work began on March 17. "This operation was challenging-imagine opening up a 185-ton concrete package filled with foam packing peanuts while standing near a helicopter on an extremely remote coastline," said John Nesset, president and C.E.O. of The Undersea Company.

Swept away during the Japan tsunami of March 11, 2011, the steel, concrete, & foam dock beached at Olympic National Park, Wash. is to be removed at last. On December 18, 2012, the dock beached along the boundaries of Olympic National Park and NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in Washington state. NOAA has contracted a local salvage company in Washington to complete the removal efforts by early April. The contracted company will work with the Sanctuary, Park Service, and local partners in Washington to remove the dock by helicopter after dismantling it on site.

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has extended its contract agreement with Crowley Maritime Corp. to station a state-funded emergency response tug at Neah Bay for another full year of service beginning July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. Under the $3.6m extension agreement, an emergency response tug will remain at Neah Bay to prevent disabled ships and barges from drifting onto rocks and causing oil spills in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington's outer coast. The contract marks the final year the state will pay for the emergency response tug service. On March 24, 2009, Gov.

Crowley Maritime Corporation's tugboat Gladiator, the state-funded seasonal emergency response tug stationed at Neah Bay, Wash., was dispatched last week to assist a tug towing a loaded oil barge after the vessel temporarily lost its primary electrical power and steering. The Na Hoku was headed down Washington's outer coast when its primary electrical generator engine failed about 12.5 miles west of Cape Flattery. The 105-foot tug was towing a fuel barge containing more than two million gallons of diesel fuel and about a half million gallons of gasoline. Jensen noted the state has contracted to station a standby emergency response tug at Neah Bay since spring 1999.

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Crowley Maritime Corp. agreed to continue a contract stationing a company rescue tug at Neah Bay from October 2007 through mid-March 2008. A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay since spring 1999. The tug has stood by or assisted 33 ships that were disabled or had reduced maneuvering or propulsion capability while transiting along the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The actions helped ensure the ships didn't drift onto rocks and spill oil. "The Neah Bay area is sacred to the Makah Tribe and Washington's coast is a world-class treasure," said Gov. Chris Gregoire. "Flanked by the Olympic National Park along the coast and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary where thousands of ships…

According to the PI Reporter, work will continue on a study of whether it is feasible and desirable for the 150 Alaska-bound cruise ships that visit Seattle's waterfront every summer to pump their wastewater ashore rather than dumping it in the ocean. The study is being undertaken by the county's wastewater division and the Port of Seattle in light of the new $60 million cruise terminal being developed by the port at Terminal 91 in Interbay. The new terminal is set to debut in April 2008. A separate project to expand its capacity for handling storm water and sewage at Interbay could be outfitted to transmit the summer cruise waste to Magnolia's West Point Treatment Plant.