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
This area · spills & pollution incidents
144 within 180 nm since 1985 · 5 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now
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- Western cook inlet, ak2026-08-24
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- Prince william sound, ak2025-12-08
- Kodiak island, ak2025-09-02
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Nearby now · within 120 nm
- Western cook inlet, akSpills · 51.8 nm
Worldwide now
8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all
Spills
Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →
Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.