Grounded Bulker Suffered Major Hull Damage
A damage assessment revealed significant damage to the motor vessel Sparna, which ran aground Monday in the main shipping channel of the Columbia River near Cathlamet, Wash. The damage assessment showed multiple fractures were found, the largest being a 25-foot by 5-foot wide fracture with a visible boulder lodged inside. Damage to the Sparna was contained to two flooded compartments. The assessment was submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard by Ballard Marine Construction early Tuesday morning and was shared with both Washington and Oregon state responders.
Senator Byrd Named Port Person Of The Year
U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) will be honored as the American Association of Port Authorities' (AAPA) "Port Person of the Year" at the port association's annual Washington People's Luncheon on April 1 in Washington, D.C.'s historic Willard Inter-Continental Hotel. AAPA - a trade organization representing the leading public ports in the Western Hemisphere - selected Sen. Byrd to receive its most prestigious annual award based on his strong advocacy in Congress for increasing cargo and facility security at America's seaports. In addition to receiving the "Port Person" award, Sen. Byrd will serve as the luncheon's keynote speaker. During his remarks…
Vessel grounds, Refloats on Columbia River
The Coast Guard responded to a vessel grounded at the mouth of the Columbia River earlier this week. The motor vessel Apollon was grounded at the mouth of the Columbia River. The vessel was refloated, no pollution, damage to the vessel or injuries to the 21-member crew are reported. Coast Guard Group/Air Station Astoria, OR. Marine Safety Office Portland and Station Cape Disappointment responded to the grounding of the motor vessel Apollon, a 623-ft wheat carrier. The vessel was aground in the vicinity of the Clatsop Spit, Oregon between buoys 12 and 14. The Peruvian-flagged vessel, which was bound for the Philippines, refloated itself and proceeded out to sea on its own power.
Chief Engineer Sentenced in Tacoma
Chun Do Oh, Chief Engineer of the M/V Rubin Stella sentenced to twelve months plus one day in prison for presenting false entries in an Oil Record Book to the United States Coast Guard. These entries concealed the fact that he had directed the dumping of waste oil and oil sludges from this ship into the Pacific Ocean. The sentencing was announced today by John McKay, United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington and Thomas L. Sansonetti, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the United States Department of Justice. The M/V Rubin Stella is a Panamanian-Flagged, bulk carrier vessel of 16,789 gross tons used to transport timber.
