Sector Portland News

The Coast Guard created Sector Columbia River when Sector Portland, Ore. combined with Group/Air Station Astoria, Ore., during a ceremony in Astoria, August 23. The formation of Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets. "The merger of these two major Coast Guard commands is designed to help improve and streamline our operational command and control organization for our many missions allowing for better service to our customers throughout the entire Columbia River region and along the Oregon coast…

The Coast Guard responded to a 648-foot container ship aground in the Columbia River near Kalama, Wash., May 23. Sector Portland, Ore., received a call at 1:30 p.m. stating the Pacific Flores had run aground on its port bow due to a steering casualty. Station Portland, Ore., diverted a 25-ft response boat to the scene. Two tug boats are on scene and have refloated the vessel. The ship holds 600 tons of fuel, however all forward tanks have been sounded and show no sign of leaking. No injuries have been reported and the vessel will remain at anchor in Kalama until the Coast Guard and the Washington Department of Ecology have completed their investigation.

On Sept. 30, Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore. reported that it is monitoring and managing vessel traffic on the Columbia River east of Portland/Vancouver, Wash., due to the closure of the Dalles Dam lock in Dalles, Ore. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has temporarily closed the lock due to structural irregularities detected in the downstream gate.  An assessment is being made to determine if repairs are needed. The Dam is located at Columbia River Mile 192, above Portland, and serves the eastern and upper Columbia River.  The closure will impact marine traffic that normally travels through the dam.  Deep draft shipping traffic downriver from the dam in the Portland/Vancouver area remains unaffected.

Boarding Team members from Sector Portland ready their gear in preparation to board the motor vessel Marguerite. The Boarding Team was taken to the Marguerite by the 52-foot motor lifeboat crew aboard the Triumph II from Station Cape Disappointment. (Photo by Petty Officer Andrew Bermel, U.S.C.G.) Seaman Ethan Lincoln stands watch on the bow of a 25-foot response boat from Station Cape Disappointment, as a crew aboard the 52-foot motor lifeboat Triumph II makes an approach to the ladder of the motor vessel Marguerite to perform a standard boarding. (Photo by Petty Officer Andrew Bermel, U.S.C.G.)

The marine casualty investigation into the death of Paul Wade and the sinking of the Buona Madre that occurred on July 13 off Point Reyes continues. The Coast Guard previously directed the master of the Eva Danielsen to keep the ship in port under the authority of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act. For over a week, investigators from Coast Guard Sector Portland and Sector San Francisco conducted crew interviews and collected information, photography and logs from the vessel. The Coast Guard requested the customs hold on the Eva Danielsen to be lifted and is now allowing the freighter to proceed on its voyage. The 291-ft. Bahamian flagged freighter, which was originally scheduled to depart Portland, Ore., on the evening of July 16. The marine casualty investigation is ongoing.

Richard J. An Oregon charter fishing boat captain was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment today in federal court in Portland. Richard J. Oba, of Winchester Bay, was the owner and captain of the Sydney Mae II, a 38 foot boat Oba used to conduct fishing charters. On September 19, 2005, Oba steered the boat into dangerous waters after being warned to stay away by the U. S. Coast Guard. The boat was struck by large wave and sunk off the Umpqua River Bar, killing three passengers. Oba had pled guilty to three counts of Seaman’s Manslaughter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1115. The Honorable Ancer L. Haggerty, Chief Judge, agreed with prosecutors that Oba had acted recklessly, and upwardly departed to sentence Oba to 6 years. The sentence is believed to be the longest ever in this type of case.

The Coast Guard has completed a review of the Waterway Suitability Assessment for the Bradwood Landing Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal project submitted by Northern Star Natural Gas, LLC. The Captain of the Port (COTP) Sector Portland has recommended to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that in order to make the Columbia River suitable for the type and frequency of LNG marine traffic, additional measures will be necessary to manage the navigation, safety and security risks responsibly. Northern Star is proposing to build an LNG terminal at the old mill site of Bradwood on the Columbia River at approximately river mile 38, about 15 miles west of Clatskanie, and opposite the west end of Puget Island.

The Coast Guard is investigating a minor fuel oil spill that occurred Monday night at approximately 7:00 p.m. at Terminal 6 in Portland from the HYUNDAI NO. 106, a Liberian flagged car carrier. The leak was discovered by the ship's crew during mooring operations when they observed a slight seepage from the vessel's side. Their crew quickly determined that the oil leak was due to several small cracks and they immediately reomoved the fuel from the tank. Coast Guard Sector Portland personnel responded to the incident to ensure all repairs were properly conducted, that all spilled oil was contained and to determine the cause of the cracks. The amount of fuel oil released into the water is estimated to be less than 50 gallons.

Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety officials from Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore., will be presenting a hands-on safety and survival workshop for commercial fishermen in Port Orford, Ore., Monday and Tuesday and in Charleston, Ore., Wednesday and Thursday. Each of the the two-day hands-on safety and survival workshops demonstrates what type of marine survival equipment to have onboard, the workshop also conducts drills that meet Coast Guard requirements for commercial fishing vessels operating outside the 12-mile international boundary line. Participants will practice with emergency equipment to include lifejackets, life rafts, immersion suits, emergency positioning indicating radio beacons and fire extinguishers.

Two long range radio towers used by Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore., to monitor VHF marine radio communications in the Portland area will be undergoing tests, temporarily cutting off the sector command center's ability to send and receive radio transmissions. During several 15 minute blocks of testing the Coast Guard will be relying on four individuals along the Columbia River with VHF marine radios to listen for any distress calls. One of the individuals is a Citizens Action Network member. This marks the first time the Citizens Action Network will be used as a radio watch since its inception two years ago in the Puget Sound region.

The Empress of the North was re-floated on Sunday. The vessel grounded Friday morning on the Columbia River, near Washougal, Wash. The vessel is currently underway to a dry-dock facility on Swan Island in Portland, Ore., in order to fully survey damage. Necessary repairs will be completed after a full damage assessment is done. A thorough inspection will be conducted by Coast Guard Sector Portland prior to the vessel's return to service. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and personnel from the salvage company will remain with the vessel to monitor its transit. A safety zone will remain in effect around the vessel during the transit. The removal of approximately 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel was completed late Saturday night.

The Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell, a 100-ft. Inland Buoy Tender homeported in Portland, Ore., has won the Golden Swivel Award at this year's West Coast Aids to Navigation Conference May 15 though Friday. Also known as the Buoy Tender Roundup, the conference hosts all Coast Guard aids to navigation cutters and aids to navigation teams from the West Coast and alternates between California and the Pacific Northwest. This year's conference was located in Everett, Wash., and involved four Coast Guard cutters, eight aids to navigation teams, personnel from various Coast Guard offices, and several other military and civilian participants. In addition to competing…

The Coast Guard received official notification of Northern Star Natural Gas LLC’s plans on January 18, 2005. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Portland will assess safety and security issues associated with liquefied natural gas tankers traveling on the Columbia River in order to make a recommendation to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding Northern Star Natural Gas LLC’s proposal to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Bradwood, Oregon at Columbia River mile 38. “We plan to work very closely with local officials, our Ports and Waterways Safety Committee and the Area Maritime Security Committee in evaluating this proposal,” said Patrick G. Gerrity, Coast Guard Captain of the Port at Portland, OR.