Salvors to Remove Partially Sunk Tug in Alaska

Removal operations for a tug partially submerged at the National Guard Dock in Gastineau Channel, near Juneau, Alaska, are scheduled, weather pending, to be conducted this week and into the weekend, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Melino’s Marine Services, the contracted salvage company, plans to remove the vessel utilizing a barge and crane system that are currently enroute from Bellingham, Wash.

The operation is expected to take multiple days pending weather conditions. Once the vessel is removed, it will be transferred via barge to an out-of-state disposal site.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau received a report on December 29, 2022, that tug vessel Tagish was partially submerged with an observed oil sheen at the National Guard Dock in vicinity of the Alaska Marine Lines yard in Gastineau Channel.

Personnel from the Coast Guard, City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and Melino’s Marine Services were involved in response efforts.

Containment boom was placed around the vessel to contain any residual oil or pollution. Melino’s Marine Services utilized divers to plug any holding tank vents to further secure the vessel from pollution discharge.

“This interagency collaboration highlights the importance of our federal, state and local partners in mitigating and removing pollution threats from our waterways,” said Capt. Darwin Jensen, commanding officer, Sector Juneau. “These relationships have been instrumental to the success of this planning effort.”

On January 9, the Coast Guard federalized the response effort utilizing money from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to secure funding for the removal of the pollution threat. The vessel owner will remain responsible for the salvage disposal fees.