Incidents in the US, Canada and South Korea prompted quick responses from crew and authorities
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has responded to a capsized unmanned dredge barge in a marina in Charleston, South Carolina that has diesel fuel on board.
Marcol Dredging Company’s 36.5-m dredge barge Capt Leo II rolled over in Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina on 4 August with around 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel in its tanks.
USCG said it responded along with state and local port partners to the incident, which has left a sheen of fuel in the marina’s waters.
USCG Charleston sector watchstanders received a call at 03:34 local time that the unmanned dredge barge had rolled and capsized.
USCG then mobilised an 8.9-m response vessel from the Charleston station to assess the situation.
Marcol Dredging deployed a boom around the barge to minimise environmental impacts from escaping diesel fuel.
“Rapid response is critical to minimising environmental impact,” said USCG incident management division chief Lt Emily Trudeau.
“The safety of responders is also a top priority. A safe operation ensures an efficient operation,” she said.
On-scene partner agencies are co-ordinating salvage and clean-up operations with Marcol Dredging.
Partners assisting USCG include Moran Environmental Response, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and Mount Pleasant Fire Department.
Elsewhere in North America, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) came to the assistance of a distressed tugboat on 1 August.
Tug Sandra Mary was in trouble off Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada when towing dump scow vessel Pitts 12 during dredging operations and required coastguard assistance.
CCG and private boat owners delivered a pump to Sandra Mary and provided mechanic assistance.
This 1962-built tug was then berthed and secured in Charlottetown after the incident, according to Mac Mackay-Tugfax.
And in South Korea, the coastguard responded to a fire on a tugboat on 30 July off Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do.
Fire broke out in the engineroom of a Busan loading tugboat at 23.05, local time. The captain reported the emergency to Gunsan Port vessel traffic monitors and coastguard sent vessels to assist.
Up to eight vessels were dispatched and four seafarers were rescued from the tug, 6.5 km off the port.
Security and rescue vessels, a fireboat and a fishing vessel assisted in the emergency. The fire was extinguished, and no marine pollution was detected.
In Turkey, Uzmar, Sanmar and Marin Tug sent tugboats, together with the Turkish Coast Guard, to respond to the fires along the coastline.
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