Initial findings: ‘gross human error’ aboard Pathfinder
Shortly after 6 p.m. on December 23, the 136-foot tug Pathfinder ran aground on Bligh Reef, one of the most infamous maritime hazards in North America. The tug spilled a worst case estimate of 6,410 gallons of diesel fuel into Prince William Sound.
The Pathfinder, which was on ice scouting duty, is owned by Crowley Marine Services, an international marine transportation company, under contract with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s Ship Escort/Response Vessel System, or SERVS.
On December 30, the council’s Port Operations and Vessel Traffic System committee met to gather information on the incident. Participants included Crowley Maritime, the Coast Guard, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, SERVS, Tesoro Alaska, SeaRiver Maritime, Alyeska Pipeline, Prince William Soundkeeper, council staff and volunteers, and residents of affected communities.
Charlie Nalen from Crowley Marine Services reported that the company’s initial investigation showed the cause of the accident to be gross human error.
“We have found no mechanical problems. The electrical equipment in the wheelhouse was fully functional, and I am embarrassed to say, it is human error,” Nalen told the gathering. “We need to get to the bottom of the error chain.”
He also noted that Crowley was partnering with Alyeska in the investigation.
The tug’s captain and second mate were both in the pilothouse when the accident occurred, and both were relieved of duty pending the results of the investigation.
“We have some real concerns [about] the change of watch-keeping practices on the vessel and bridge team management,” said Nalen.
(Bridge team management refers to communication among crew members on the bridge.)
Statements about their actions at the time of the grounding have not been released.
Crowley informed the council that the Pathfinder’s captain had 30 years of sailing experience, mostly in Prince William Sound waters, and over 20 years as Captain. The second mate had 1-1/2 years of experience. Both had proper licenses and were in good health.
Nalen also offered an apology on behalf of Crowley.
“We will do everything in our power, together with our partners, to ensure it never happens again,” Nalen said. “That is our utmost commitment.”
Crowley pledged to remain as open as possible to keep the council updated on findings during the investigation.
Separate investigations are still underway by Crowley and the Coast Guard. The council will closely review the results of both investigations.
“We will be pursuing the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ in order to come up with the ‘what’ to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” said Steve Lewis, president of the council board.
At the time of the grounding, the Pathfinder had just finished surveying the area for icebergs that would pose a threat to tankers leaving the Valdez terminal, and had begun the trip back to port.
The official time of the grounding was put at 6:14 p.m. By 6:30 p.m., the crew reported that the vessel had been freed from the rock and was leaking diesel fuel. The tug managed to reach Busby Island Bay to drop anchor and await help to contain the still-leaking fuel. Response vessels reached the crippled tug within a few hours and had surrounded it with containment boom by eight o’clock the next morning. Divers determined that three of the tug’s tanks were breached, although one was a water tank, which was empty at the time of the grounding.
An overflight conducted by the Coast Guard at daybreak on Thursday reported a sheen 3 miles long.
Response crews ran into a problem just after midnight on Friday morning, while starting to pump remaining fuel from the Pathfinder, causing a smaller spill. An overflight at daybreak on Friday reported a new 1-mile sheen.
A total of 20 vessels aided the Pathfinder: Coast Guard cutters, vessels from O’Brien and Chadux salvage operations, and SERVS oil spill response vessels. Six were fishing vessels trained by SERVS to respond to oil spills.
Several questions were raised by the grounding, according to the council, including how the boat ended up on the reef, whether the Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Center in Valdez could have helped avert the grounding, and what effects diesel fuel will have on the environment in the Sound.