Boxship YM Mandate Heads for Repairs After Bunker Spill

The response to the fuel leak from the container ship YM Mandate is now complete, the U.S. Coast Guard reported Sunday. 

YM Mandate is no longer leaking fuel oil from a crack in her hull, and a dive survey found no additional damage. After a hull cleaning, the vessel departed Global Container Terminal Bayonne on Saturday to undergo repairs at another nearby facility. 

A unified command consisting of the U.S. Coast Guard, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and Gallagher Marine Systems conducted and completed the response. "The response was quick and efficient thanks to the strong coordination of all agencies involved,” said Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Clark, Coast Guard Incident Commander. “We take any release of oil into the maritime environment extremely seriously and we greatly appreciate the efforts of our partner agencies.”

Last Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard received an alert from the National Response Center after an oil sheen was spotted near the YM Mandate at the GCT terminal in new Jersey. The 6,500 TEU boxship had arrived from Halifax and was due to sail for Savannah, Georgia.

A Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team reported a small crack in the ship’s hull, which was leaking fuel oil. The affected tank has a capacity of about 460,000 gallons. 

Oil containment boom and absorbent pads were deployed around the vessel and contracted skimming boats were deployed to remove fuel oil from the water. The leaking fuel was quickly contained, and the crew began an internal transfer of the remaining contents of the damaged tank to limit the potential size of the spill.  The following day, a barge came alongside the vessel and lightered off the remaining fuel from the tank.