Maritime Casualties--November 5, 2009
Pirate Attacks and Bunker Leaks.
• M/V Harriette Thwarts Pirate Attack
U.S.-flagged ship operated by Sealift Inc., M/V Harriette, evaded a pirate attack and sustained small arms fire 360 nautical miles from Mombasa, Kenya. American Maritime Officers and crew were unharmed in the attack.
Two skiffs with five to six pirates onboard fired AK-47 weapons on the Harriette within three feet of the ship, but still were unable to board. The bridge and port wing sustained damage but the ship increased speed and the pirates broke off their attack.
The Harriette was en route from Mombasa after completing discharge of U.S. food-aid cargo to the next port of call. Upon successfully evading the attack, Harriette continued on her voyage.
A company security officer for Sealift, Inc. said of the ship's master to Marex, "We are very proud of the master, Michael Tolley and his actions."
• Leaking Cargo Ship Repaired in U.S. Gulf
South of New Orleans, an oil spill from a cargo ship has been patched by divers, preventing further oil from infiltrating into the Gulf and enabling the ship to transit up the Mississippi to a repair facility.
Pacific Carriers' cargo ship, Pac Alkaid is in New Orleans for repairs after spilling about 12,000 gallons of fuel near the mouth of the Mississippi River, off Louisiana's coast Friday. The discharged fuel was caused by a hole in the ship's hull, about five centimeters in diameter and five feet below the waterline that penetrated the vessel's starboard fuel tank. While the ship was anchored five miles southeast of Southwest Pass, the captain notified the Coast Guard 2 a.m. Friday the ship was leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
O'Brien's Response Management hired Louisiana Responder, the 220-foot vessel owned by Marine Spill Recovery Corporation, to clean the spill. The response vessel arrived on the scene Friday but could not move forward with recovery due to three-to-five foot waves and a lack of concentrated oil.
According to Coast Guard reports, O'Brien's also hired divers, who patched the hole Sunday afternoon. The Pac Alkaid arrived at the Perry Street Wharf in New Orleans Sunday night, escorted by the NRC Energy, a response vessel owned by the National Response Corporation.
The Coast Guard dispatched four helicopter flights to observe and assess the spill Saturday. A Unified Command of the Coast Guard and O'Brien's Response Management will continue to monitor and assess cleanup efforts.