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Tue 29 Dec 2009, 09:12 GMT

Fuel removed from Bligh Reef tug


Fuel is pumped out from damaged tugboat that ran aground on Exxon Valdez reef.

Crews were continuing yesterday to remove fuel from a damaged tugboat that ran aground on Bligh Reef, Alaska - the same reef encountered by the Exxon Valdez oil tanker 20 years ago.

The Crowley Marine Services tug Pathfinder was tied up Monday at the Petro Star dock in Valdez where crews were pumping out the remaining fuel.

Crowley spokesperson Jim Butler said the fuel was being removed at approximately 3,000 gallons an hour.

The Pathfinder grounding took place on Wednesday evening after the crew had completed an ice survey and were heading back to its port in Valdez when the vessel struck the reef.

The vessel then cleared the reef and proceeded to deeper waters at about 6:50 p.m. Anchoring just south of Busby Island.

Two of the tug’s centerline diesel fuel tanks were said to be damaged with a potential spill of 33,500 gallons. The total capacity of the vessel is approximately 127,700 gallons of diesel fuel.

Butler said Crowley Marine was working with the Coast Guard on its investigation of the incident.

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