Sector Puget News

A commercial fishing vessel that sank Saturday near San Juan Island, Wash. is spilling oil, the U.S. Coast Guard said.All five crewmembers from the sinking Aleutian Isle were rescued by a Good Samaritan, and no injuries have been reported.The 49-foot vessel sank with approximately 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel and a combined 100 gallons of hydraulic fluid and lubricant oil aboard, according to the Coast Guard. A sheen has been observed spanning more than two miles and was reported to have entered Canadian waters as the vessel continues to release small amounts of diesel.At approximately 2 p.m.

A gravel barge allided with private docks and homes near Gig Harbor, Wash., after the master of the towing vessel fell asleep at the helm.The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday that its watchstanders at Sector Puget Sound received notification from Pierce County dispatch that an unmanned gravel barge, under tow by the towing vessel Island Chief, had smashed into several privately-owned docks and residences. No injuries or pollution have been reported. Initial findings indicate that the master of the towing vessel fell asleep while navigating the vessel…

A U.S. Coast Guard said it medevaced a woman from a containership off the Washington coast Saturday after she was having difficulty breathing and experiencing temporary unconsciousness.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound command center received a call at 11:30 a.m. from the ship’s health insurance provider stating the 65-year-old woman required medical attention.At the time, the 710-foot container ship, Matson Kodiak, was transiting westbound in the Strait of Juan…

Coast Guard pollution responders are responding to a report of a tug that sank at the Port Orchard Railway Marina in Port Townsend, Washington, Monday.Members from Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound's Incident Management Division are on scene overseeing the removal and containment of fuel discharged from the 65-foot tug Meagan M. The vessel is currently registered as a towing vessel; however the master claims it has been used in a strictly recreational capacity for the past two years.

A cruise ship passenger who went overboard near the Strait of Juan de Fuca has been pronounced dead.The U.S. Coast Guard said the 73-year-old male was unresponsive when he was recovered by a helicopter rescue crew from the water near the west coast Canada/U.S. border.The overboard passenger was transferred to local Emergency Medical Service personnel waiting on shore and then to the Olympic Medical Center where he was later pronounced deceased.Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Command…

The Port of Seattle Commission has appointed retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Stephen P. Metruck as its new Executive Director, effective February 1, 2018. Metruck will succeed interim executive director Dave Soike, who took over following the resignation of port CEO Ted Fick in February 2017. Metruck brings 34 years of executive experience in maritime, security and financial leadership to his new role. Most recently, Metruck was Commander of the Mid-Atlantic Region, overseeing 3…

A captain of the fishing vessel (F/V) Native Sun pleaded guilty in federal court in Seattle for discharging oily-waste directly into the ocean in violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and the federal conspiracy statute. Randall Fox pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lasnik of the Western District of Washington to two criminal felony counts for violating APPS’ prohibition against discharging oily-wastes, namely machinery-space bilge water, directly into the ocean. According to court documents, Randall Fox and other coconspirators repeatedly discharged the oil-contaminated bilge water into the ocean using unapproved submersible pumps and hoses.

The Coast Guard, after an investigation of ballast water discharge violations, initiated civil penalty proceedings against the operator, Vega Reederei GmbH & Co. KG, of the bulk carrier Vega Mars, Feb. 2, 2017. Investigators found that around Jan. 29, 2017, while moored in Tacoma, ballast water was discharged from the vessel without the use of a Coast Guard approved ballast water management system or other approved means, a violation of the National Invasive Species Act with a maximum penalty for $38,175. Vessels equipped with ballast water tanks that operate in the waters of the United States must employ an approved ballast water management method to prevent the unintentional introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species.

A Washington resident has been fined for interfering with the safe operation of a Washington State Ferry (WSF) passenger vessel by shining a laser at the ferry’s master and chief mate. Mark Raden of Freeland, Wash. was aboard the WSF Kitsap transiting between Mukilteo and Clinton on October 22, 2015 when he pointed the high-powered blue laser at the WSF Tokitae, striking the vessel's master and chief mate in the eyes and endangering the 106 passengers on board. A U.S. Coast Guard Hearing Officer assessed a $9,500 civil penalty on December 27 2016.

The Coast Guard rescued one mariner aboard a disabled vessel after he become disoriented in Bellingham Bay, Saturday. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound command center received a report from Station Bellingham of the disabled and adrift 27-foot crab in the shoals of Bellingham Bay with one person aboard at 3:05 p.m. The mariner was unable to give his exact position but was quickly located after Sector personnel tracked his location using his cell phone GPS signal. A Coast Guard Station Bellingham rescue boat crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium responded to the incident and safely removed the mariner from his vessel at 4:13 p.m. The mariner was reported to be in good condition and did not seek medical attention.

The companies that own and operate a Greek shipping vessel and two engineers from the ship were convicted today in U.S. District Court in Seattle of 12 felony counts related to their dumping of oily waste at sea, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. The ship operator, Angelakos Hellas S.A., the ship owner, Gallia Graeca Shipping LTD, the chief engineer, Konstantinos Chrysovergis and the second engineer, Tryfon Angelou were found guilty of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships…

A Coast Guard boatcrew was hit by a green laser light while underway near the Squalicum Harbor area of Bellingham, Wednesday night, ending a valuable training opportunity due to medical concerns. The crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat - Medium, from Coast Guard Station Bellingham, had to return to base and a backup boatcrew had to be called to stand the remainder of the watch. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified of the incident by the affected boatcrew at 8:30 p.m. The incident cancelled the scheduled routine operations with a helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles. "Boat and helicopter operators can be temporarily blinded by green laser lights during night operations," said Cmdr. Brian Meier, Sector Puget Sound Response Department head.

The owner and captain of the commercial F/V Native Sun, were indicted Thursday for conspiracy, as well as violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). According to the indictment, starting in 2011 and continuing into 2013, Bingham and Randall Fox discharged and caused other crewmembers to illegally discharge oil and other pollutants into waters of the United States, coastal waters near Blaine, Wash., and the open ocean where the ship operated. The discharge of oil and other bilge wastes are regulated by the CWA and APPS to protect the nation's waterways, port and ocean water quality. The discharge of oils and other pollutants in waters of the United States is prohibited absent a CWA permit.

Three commercial fishing vessels operating throughout Puget Sound were ordered to return to port Wednesday after U.S. Coast Guard boarding teams discovered multiple safety violations. Following the boardings, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Sector Puget Sound sent the three crews back to port to correct deficiencies and complete a satisfactory dockside safety examination with Coast Guard personnel. In the first instance, a boarding team from Coast Guard Cutter Osprey reported several safety discrepancies on the 27-foot commercial fishing vessel Wendy Sue, including insufficient fire extinguishers, no documentation and no sound-producing device.

The Coast Guard rescued six people in three separate search-and-rescue cases Saturday along the Washington and Oregon coastline. On Saturday morning, the Coast Guard rescued three people near Coos Bay, Oregon when their boat overturned. On Saturday evening, two kayakers were stranded between Hope Island and Whidbey Island, Washington when their kayaks capsized and required assistance. Additionally, a 58-year-old man was retrieved from the water after falling from D dock at the Port of Ilwaco, Washington. At approximately 5 p.m., Saturday, a watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report from 911 dispatch of a male and female kayaker who capsized on the northeast side of Whidbey Island between Whidbey and Hope Islands.

The 685-foot Liberian-flagged containership Westwood Robson is being held in port after significant safety violations were discovered by Port State Control officers from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound during an inspection at the Husky Terminal in the Port of Tacoma, Thursday. The inspection revealed excessive oil in the bilge holding area, oil-soaked lagging present throughout machinery spaces and clogged oil drains, creating a significant risk of fire, the Coast Guard said. Mechanical issues included deteriorated fittings that contributed to oil and coolant leaks as well as inoperable oil purifiers. The vessel and crew must are required to stay in port until the deficiencies have been corrected to the satisfaction of Coast Guard inspectors and the Classification Society.

Containership Lowlands Kamsar has been detained by U.S. Coast Guard personnel in Seattle, Monday, after a Port State Control exam detected several safety violations. The Lowlands Kamsar a 751-foot, Panamanian-flagged ship will remain in Sector Puget Sound's Captain of the Port zone until the violations are corrected, the Coast Guard said. During the exam Coast Guard Port State Control officers discovered that the automatic fire extinguishing system that protects the vessel’s engine room had been disabled by the crew, additionally, the vessel’s owner, Misuga S.A., failed to ensure that appropriate corrective action was taken. The crew of the ship was conducting cargo operations in Seattle at the time of the exam. Lt.

Coast Guard personnel rescued two fishermen from a 28-foot recreational vessel when it became stranded with a disabled engine and grounded due to shoal water near Everett Wednesday night. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles hoisted the men and transported them safely to Paine Field in Snohomish County. Dispatchers from 911 transferred a call for help to watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound at 1:25 p.m. Sector watchstanders issued a Marine Assistance Request Broadcast and contacted other local agencies to tow the vessel, but none were able to respond due to shallow water. The aircrew launched in response and arrived on scene at 8:10 p.m.

Port State Control officers from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound detained the container ship MOL Precision in Seattle, Thursday after discovering several significant violations during a port state control exam of the Panamanian-flagged ship, which will remain in Sector Puget Sound's Captain of the Port zone until the violations are corrected. The coast guard said violations included defective oil bilge line filtering equipment, missing security training records and not sending required ballast tank information to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse prior to entering a U.S. port. The 962-foot containership MOL Precision’s oil bilge line filtering equipment had a nonfunctional alarm and intermittently operating meter…

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Puget Sound investigating officers initiated civil penalties, Friday, against four individuals who entered an established safety-zone around a Shell-contracted vessel in Bellingham during Memorial Day weekend. Cody Erdman, Chiara D’Angelo, Paul Adler and Matthew Fuller were cited in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations for entry into or staying in a federally-regulated safety zone between May 22 and 24. USCG officials can seek a maximum civil penalty of $40,000 for each entry into the zone or day the individuals violated the zone. The final penalty will be determined by the Coast Guard Hearing Office in Arlington, Va. Hearing officers will be assigned and provide the individuals an opportunity to refute the charges or provide evidence on their behalf.

A crewmember aboard containership Horizon Tacoma was medevaced by a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) aircrew near Port Townsend, Wash., Saturday. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Port Angeles hoisted the man and transported him to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after the 700-foot ship’s master contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, in Seattle, requesting assistance for a 72-year-old crewmember reportedly suffering chest pain. The crewman is in stable condition. The aircrew launched at 12:25 p.m., arrived on scene and completed hoist operations at 12:40 p.m.

U.S. The 24 people who violated the 500-yard safety zone established around the Shell Arctic drilling rig Polar Pioneer were detained by USCG and partner agency law enforcement personnel Monday morning. The individuals were transported to Coast Guard Base Seattle at Pier 36, issued notices of violation that include a $500 fine and released with their equipment. "The Coast Guard and our agency partners are committed to maintaining the integrity of navigable waterways and protecting the safety of the maritime public," said Capt.

A fisherman struck and injured by a parted line was medevaced south of San Juan Island and transported to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, Wash. Thursday morning. He is in stable condition. The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced the injured fisherman after watchstanders in Puget Sound received a radio call from the captain of the fishing vessel Mr. Wonderful at about 7:40 a.m. reporting the injury. The fisherman was wounded when a line parted, snapped back and hit him in the upper body. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Wahoo was underway in the vicinity of the incident and arrived on scene at 8:12 a.m. An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter was launched to perform the medevac.