Selendang Ayu Ops Update

Crews continue lightering operations aboard the remains of the 738-foot freighter Selendang Ayu in the Bering Sea.

To date, crews have removed 3,075.48 gallons of marine diesel oil (MDO) from the stricken ship.

Monday, Unified Command (UC) officials in Dutch Harbor reported that crews totaled tank one with 1,323.59 gallons; tank two with 1,319.5 gallons and tank three with 432.39 gallons, amounts that are not just fuel, but also is mixed with water.

Officials today report that the starboard marine diesel oil tank requires cleaning and that workers will have to increase the size of the hole to access tank number 3C, situated below the MDO tank.

Weather conditions Tuesday prevented workers from conducting beach cleaning operations, but crews returned to clean beaches today.

UC commanders finalized their winter operations plan Monday. The plan outlines actions to be taken during the operational period from now until mid April, and briefly refers to increased operational efforts set to begin in the Spring when Alaska's daylight hours are longer and favorable weather conditions are more common.