A 71-foot fishing tender that sank at Seward’s T-Dock in early December has been refloated and was being turned over to a Seward boat repair firm for final disposal.
Officials with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said Dec. 21 that the F/V Nordic Viking had been lifted ad dewatered by Global Diving and Salvage, Inc. on Dec. 20 with Alaska Chadux Corp., an oil spill response organization, deploying containment boom, and that the vessel was heading to Raibow Fiberglass and Boat Repair for disposal.
Chadux was continuing to monitor the deployed boom for any new signs of contamination, with plans to remove the boom and bird hazing tactics when it is determined that there is no risk of further contamination from this incident.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel traveled to Seward to survey migratory bird concentration areas and note bird and marine mammals in the area.
U.S. Coast Guard officials initially assumed responsibility for cleanup efforts for marine diesel and other petroleum products spilled from the F/V Nordic Viking.
Coast Guard officials said Dec. 12 that they opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and Alaska Chadux has been contracted as the oil spill removal organization. The vessel’s hull tanks had capacity for 2,500 gallons of fuel, but the responsible party estimated some 700 gallons were in the tanks at the time of the sinking, the Coast Guard said.
Vessel owner Larry March meanwhile contracted Storm Chaser Marine Services Inc., to salvage the vessel and the company’s divers had plugged the fuel vents.
Cause of the sinking is unknown.
No hazards to wildlife or further discharger were reported.
The vessel sinking was reported to DEC officials on Dec. 9 by Harbormaster Norm Regis, who discovered the sunken tender while doing a routine walk around the harbor, said Lisa Krebs-Barsis, a spokesperson for DEC.
