Spills

Tank barge 283; shumagin islands, western gulf of alaska

NOAAORR-6646

issued
1988-12-28 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1989-01-11 00:00Z
self-cancels
1989-01-11 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Alaska
position
54.908, -159.662
vessels
BARGE ABOVE WATER · 2 messagesBARGE BEGAN LEAKING DIESEL ASTUG MARINE EXPLORER · 3 messages
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Tank Barge 283; Shumagin Islands, Western Gulf of Alaska.
Shumagin Islands, Western Gulf of Alaska.
1. On December 26, 1988, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Anchorage, was notified that the tank barge 283, towed by the tug Marine Explorer, was sinking stern down in the western Gulf of Alaska. The tug and barge were en route to Dutch Harbor with approximately 2,000,000 gallons of diesel when they encountered extremely heavy weather. The void aft tanks were flooded, causing the barge to turn bow-up with approximately 80 feet of the barge above water and the remaining 200 feet below the surface. The salvage vessel arranged for by the T/B 283's owner, United Marine Tug and Barge, Inc., of Seattle, would take approximately eight days to arrive from its location in Astoria, Oregon. Meanwhile, the barge began leaking diesel as 50-60 knot winds and 20-25 foot seas racked this portion of Alaska. USCG district 17.
2. COMMODITY: DIESEL.
3. POSITION 54.908N 159.662W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6646: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6646

This area · spills & pollution incidents

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Timeline · 2 messages since 1988-12-28 · closed 1989-01-11

  1. Tank barge 283; shumagin islands, western gulf of alaska this message1988-12-28 → 1989-01-11
  2. T/b 283; shumagin islands, western gulf of alaska1988-12-28 → 1989-01-11

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