Bulker That Nearly Grounded in Aleutian Storm Safely Departs Unalaska
The bulker that struggled to keep off the rocky shores of Unalaska in a storm last weekend is now back under way, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
Late last month, the Korean-owned bulker Pan Viva got under way on a ballast voyage from from Dandong to the U.S. West Coast. Late last week, as she transited north of the Aleutians, a large winter storm swept in, bringing winds of 60 knots and waves of up to 30 feet.
On October 11, as Pan Viva was nearing Unimak Pass in severe wind and seas, the vessel began to deviate from her eastward course. She reduced speed to 2-4 knots on an irregular heading, then reversed course and made an erratic track towards the north side of Unalaska, ending up in Unalaska Bay on Saturday morning.
The vessel dropped anchor at a position about one to two miles offshore, and the crew informed the Coast Guard that they were having difficulty maintaining position - even though the anchor was deployed and engine fully functional. Conditions on scene included winds of up to 58 knots and waves of 26-29 feet.
The Coast Guard sent two helicopters and an HC-130J SAR plane to Unalaska to prepare to assist, and a helicopter aircrew evacuated four nonessential crewmembers from Pan Viva as a precautionary measure on Saturday afternoon. The cutter Stratton - one of the Coast Guard's largest oceangoing cutters - also diverted to assist, but her transit was hampered by the severe weather. The harbor tug Gretchen Dunlap, based out of Dutch Harbor, was also unable to assist due to the weather. However, the tug's crew stowed an Emergency Towing System on board and got ready to respond as soon as weather allowed.
The storm abated enough on Sunday that the Gretchen Dunlap could join the vessel out at the anchorage, but conditions were still too severe for Pan Viva to weigh anchor. Video from the scene showed indications that Pan Viva was both anchored and motoring ahead in an attempt to maintain position.
In a sign of the seriousness of the situation, the Coast Guard and its partners set up a unified command Sunday to manage the response. By Monday afternoon, the winds had calmed enough that Pan Viva could safely depart, escorted by two tugs and the USCGC Stratton.
"This potentially disastrous situation was avoided thanks to early notification by the Pan Viva and a swift, coordinated response," said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander, Coast Guard Seventeenth District. "This was an excellent example of our federal, tribal, state and industry partners coming together to ensure safety of life at sea and prevent a maritime environmental accident."