Salvors Remove Historic Tugboat That Sank and Spilled Oil in Washington

 

Salvors have completed the delicate task of deconstructing and removing the debris of a World War II-era wooden hull tugboat that sank at the Bremerton Marina in Washington. The historic tug Dominion, a 130-foot vessel that was built in 1944, sank in September, causing a massive oil spill and prompting agencies to mobilize a major response operation to mitigate pollution threats and protect the environment.

The vessel was considered to be one of the last of her kind and a popular local attraction. Built for the U.S. Navy in 1944, the wooden-hulled boat was hull number 14 and would remain active with the Navy until she was sold in 1958. Acquired by Foss Maritime Company of Tacoma, Washington, she was renamed Patricia Foss. She remained active for another 18 years until being retired in 1976. She was laid up and sold in 1980 and had been the subject of multiple restoration efforts.
 

Dominion tug (Facebook)

 

Following her sinking on September 17, the Washington Department of Ecology (WDE) had overseen two attempts to lift the tug. During the second attempt, responders discovered the integrity of the vessel was compromised to the extent that multiple dewatering pumps were not enough to overcome the water continuously flowing into the vessel. After it was clear the vessel could not be refloated, the vessel was lowered back into the water. 

The WDE went ahead to reclassify the privately-owned sunken tug as a “marine debris,” paving the way for her deconstruction on site instead of removal of the wreck. In effect, contractors deployed equipment to tear the former tug into pieces that were loaded on a barge and transported to a salvage yard in Seattle.

Contractors deployed boom, skimmers, and absorbents throughout the response to recover oil, with other teams monitoring shorelines near the incident site throughout the response. A curtain was placed around the sunken vessel to contain the spread of debris, followed by the crane attachment removing portions of the vessel piece by piece.

 

Crews tried to lift and dewater the tug, but the integrity was compromised they reported (WDE)

 

The Coast Guard, which was overseeing the operation, gave an account of the task stating that during the destruction of the vessel, the curtain successfully contained the majority of oiled debris. During the operation, they report approximately 22,018 gallons of oil/water mix, 190 tonnes of solid waste and debris, and 60 tonnes of metal were recovered. Crews also decontaminated 61 vessels in the Bremerton Marina, with contaminated debris being transported to a hazardous waste facility in Oregon for proper disposal.

“This incident serves as a reminder to boat owners to minimize the amount of fuel they store onboard,” said Dave Byers, State On Scene Coordinator for WDE. “Oil is toxic to the aquatic environment and can cause harm to Washington’s environmental, cultural, and economic resources.”

 

Unable to dewater the vessel, the decision was made to deconstruct the vessel onsite (Unified Command)

 

Apart from the Coast Guard and WDE, the Suquamish Tribe, Port of Bremerton, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were involved in the operation. While the cause of the tug’s sinking is still under investigation, the Coast Guard said that individuals or businesses adversely affected by the oil spill may be eligible for compensation. The historic tug was privately owned when it sank.