Ship carrying 450 tonnes of fuel adrift off B.C. coast

[Northboy]

A 135-metre bulk carrier hauling bunker and diesel fuel has lost power and is drifting off the B.C. coast toward Haida Gwaii.
The Canadian Coast Guard received a call about the vessel at about 11 p.m. Thursday night.
The ship, which had been travelling from Everett, Wash., to Russia, is carrying 400 tonnes of bunker fuel and 50 tonnes of diesel fuel, Ron MacDougall, Acting Sub-lieutenant with the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria, said on Friday.

© Rafal Gerszak/for The Globe and Mail A bulk carrier similar to those pictured here has lost power and is adrift in rough seas off the coast of B.C.
The vessel has lost power and is about 14 kilometres from land, Acting Sub.-Lt. MacDougall said.
Weather on the scene is “severe”, with 50-knot winds and seven-metre seas, but is expected to ease this morning, he added.
A Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched from Comox, B.C., to evacuate the vessel master, who was injured.
The U.S. Coast Guard is also involved in the situation and is providing a helicopter to assist in evacuating crew if that is required, Acting Sub.-Lt. MacDougall said.
A tugboat is en route from Prince Rupert but is not expected to make it to the scene Friday. A Canadian Coast Guard vessel is also on its way to the scene.
There are 11 crew members on board, Acting Sub.-Lt. MacDougall said.
He would not comment on the possibility of the vessel running aground, saying only that “there are assets moving as quickly as possible” to get to the scene.
The name of the ship is Simushir. The Council of the Haida Nation called the situation an emergency and is setting up a command post in Old Masset.
On its Facebook page, the Council of the Haida Nation on Friday morning said “Coast Guard is preparing for the worst with the ship hitting ground in 3-4 hours” and called the situation “dire.”




Source: Globe and Mail

 

[taxslave]

Running empty. That is barely enough to fuel the ship.

 

[skookumchuck]

The Haida will insist that everyone help them but will send no help anywhere else, so whats new?

 

[petros]

Running empty. That is barely enough to fuel the ship.

It is to fuel the ship. It's a mid sized sea can freighter.

 

[taxslave]

It is to fuel the ship. It's a mid sized sea can freighter.

I know what it is. THe farmboy's OP makes it out to be a major oil spill in the making when it is the marine equivalent of a car dying on the side of the road on the way to work.

 

[bill barilko]

I know WCQCI-if the ship is drifting parallel to the coast it's caught in that famous North/South current and isn't going anywhere near land-it can't.

Once in a 168' retired mine sweeper we hit that current coming around the Top End @ Langara headed to Englefield Bay-it was so strong gave us another 7 kph all the way down.

 

[Zipperfish]

They are saying it's going to hit ground tonight.

 

[JLM]

They are saying it's going to hit ground tonight.

Nope, it was just reported on C.B.C. radio to be drifting parallel to the coast and is NOT likely to hit land.

 

[Zipperfish]

Hope so. Can't they just drop anchor?

 

[Goober]

Hope so. Can't they just drop anchor?

News report on Global that a tug will be on site tomorrow.
Still a poor response when they want to ship more oil on the coast.

 

[JLM]

News report on Global that a tug will be on site tomorrow.
Still a poor response when they want to ship more oil on the coast.

Apparently it's a container vessel not a tanker. I'm hoping that is a good thing.

 

[damngrumpy]

For the sake of many I hope it stays at sea until help arrives if only a few liters
spill into water or land the end of the pipeline debate would come to an end.
The people believe just like the Titanic it can't happen so if it does no amount
of reason would convince BC residents otherwise

 

[talloola]

For the sake of many I hope it stays at sea until help arrives if only a few liters
spill into water or land the end of the pipeline debate would come to an end.
The people believe just like the Titanic it can't happen so if it does no amount
of reason would convince BC residents otherwise

and why should it.

 

[Sparrow]

The Haida will insist that everyone help them but will send no help anywhere else, so whats new?

Why wouldn't we help them, they are part of Canada.

 

[bill barilko]

Why wouldn't we help them, they are part of Canada.

Not according to them they aren't-I doubt you've ever met one of those miserable argumentative SoBs.

 

[JLM]

and why should it.

How about because there is nothing in the world that we do from when we climb out of bed in the morning until we return to bed at night that is 100% safe? -

Not according to them they aren't-I doubt you've ever met one of those miserable argumentative SoBs.

What? You mean working stiffs just trying to earn a living in not the best of conditions away from home?

 

[talloola]

How about because there is nothing in the world that we do from when we climb out of bed in the morning until we return to bed at night that is 100% safe? -

being ultra protective over our environment is much more important to me than climbing out of bed and
stumbling over the dog. the environment is for 'all' of us, for our earth, not just for you and me.
being loosy goosey about what kind of ships go up and down our coasts is irresponsible and allows
big corporations, who don't give a damn, to make their millions taking a big risk with our land.

there must be a balance, and saying nothing and doing nothing doesn't allow that balance, it allows
us to be taken advantage of, let alone the deaths And suffering of birds,animals and fish.

 

[JLM]

being ultra protective over our environment is much more important to me than climbing out of bed and
stumbling over the dog. the environment is for 'all' of us, for our earth, not just for you and me.
being loosy goosey about what kind of ships go up and down our coasts is irresponsible and allows
big corporations, who don't give a damn, to make their millions taking a big risk with our land.

there must be a balance, and saying nothing and doing nothing doesn't allow that balance, it allows
us to be taken advantage of, let alone the deaths And suffering of birds,animals and fish.

So what margin of risk should we be willing to accept?

 

[talloola]

So what margin of risk should we be willing to accept?

strange question, how can i figure that out, i said a balance, guess that is some sort of margin.

what margin do you think, just wring our hands and hope?, or be responsible and step up.

 

[JLM]

strange question, how can i figure that out, i said a balance, guess that is some sort of margin.

what margin do you think, just wring our hands and hope?, or be responsible and step up.

Strange or not, I think it's a question that has to be answered. For starters I would say every reasonable precaution has to be identified and taken. I think all hazards (within reason) have to be identified and have a protocol in place to deal with them as they arise. But we have to accept also there is very little that can be done if a 9.3 earthquake happens right under the boat.