Spills

On january 25, 1997, the tug sea valor, attempting to change the tow cable on the crowley barge oregon,…

Barge Oregon; Ninilchik, Alaska · Ninilchik, Alaska · NOAAORR-7184

issued
1997-01-25 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1997-02-08 00:00Z
self-cancels
1997-02-08 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Alaska
position
60.100, -151.867
vessels
BARGE OREGONTUG SEA VALOR
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Barge Oregon; Ninilchik, Alaska.
Ninilchik, Alaska.
1. On January 25, 1997, the tug Sea Valor, attempting to change the tow cable on the Crowley barge Oregon, punctured the #5 starboard tank of the barge. The tank flooded, causing the barge to roll upside down, releasing most of her 12,500 tons of bulk granular urea six miles west of Ninilchik, Alaska in Lower Cook Inlet at a water depth of approximately 120 feet. The COTP ordered the barge towed upside down into Kachema Bay for salvage. Once there, high winds forced the vessel to circle around before finally being anchored and boomed off just off the end of Homer spit. Of equal concern were fuel tanks with 1,000 gallons of diesel and roughly 250 gallons of other general oils. No sheen was noticed and these tanks appeared intact. Diver inspection of the overturned hull reported that all doors and hatches were closed and sealed, except for a port aft cargo door that was buckled in about two [...]
2. COMMODITY: UREA GRANULES. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 25000000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 60.100N 151.867W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 7184: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/7184

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