Maritime Operations

Responders perform well overall in drills in 2024

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Two fishing vessels pull boom behind them. Each boat is attached to one end of the boom so that when they move forward, the boom forms a curve. In this first image, the boats are parallel with each other so that the boom is in the shape of the letter U.

Many of the drills and exercises conducted by the industry last year went well, according to the latest drill summary released by the Council. During the 14 drills and exercises observed in 2024, responders were generally well-practiced and activities went smoothly. The summary report also contains suggestions for future exercises.

Tanker spill exercise

In October, Marathon Petroleum conducted a large exercise, simulating a spill of almost 3 million gallons of crude oil from a tanker into central Prince William Sound.

One goal of the exercise was to test how well responders transitioned command of the response from Alyeska’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System, or SERVS, to Marathon. Part of SERVS’ role in an oil spill is to initiate and manage the response activities until the company that owns the tanker arrives on the scene.

“The transition from Alyeska to Marathon was very well done,” says Roy Robertson, drill monitor for the Council. “The Marathon team members took the time to shadow SERVS’ team before the transition to learn the system and processes that are unique to our region.”

“Marathon also kept most of SERVS’ team around to provide support which has not always been done in the past,” Robertson added.

Three people surround a metal table in a shiny new facility with modern equipment. One of the three is directing the other two on otter cleaning techniques. The "otter" on the table is a stuffed toy.
A wildlife expert teaches Council staff members Donna Schantz and Joe Lally how to clean crude oil from an otter. A stuffed toy otter is used in these training sessions.

Terminal spill exercises

In 2024, Alyeska conducted several exercises that simulated a spill from the terminal. During one of these, Alyeska set up its new units for treating oiled wildlife such as otters and birds. These units contain state of the art equipment and can be set up quickly in the event of a spill.

Polar Tankers conducted emergency towing exercises

Polar Tankers led the pack in tanker towing exercises. The industry is required to perform one each quarter, although a total of five were conducted in 2024. The Council observed two of the five. Polar Tankers volunteered to conduct three.

“These exercises do add time to the tanker’s trip,” says Robertson. “But they provide valuable training for the crews.”

The report recommends rotating the exercises between the various shipping companies.

Protecting sensitive areas

Several exercises focused on tactics to keep oil away from shorelines or other areas that are particularly susceptible to damage from oil contamination.

This type of exercise is often held during the annual spill response training for fishing vessel crews. The small vessels that participate in these trainings would mostly be used in this capacity in a real incident.

Some areas to improve

The report included suggestions for improving future exercises, including:

  • More deployments of the new oil spill response barge, the Allison Creek, which replaced an older barge of the same name last year. The new barge is an improvement, but does have more equipment on its deck.
  • Practice response operations during reduced visibility. More than 5 years have elapsed since the last exercise was conducted in low visibility. The escort tugs have special equipment on board that improves responders’ ability to spot oil in these conditions.

2024 Annual Drill Report

More details and additional recommendations are available in the full report: 2024 Annual Drill Monitoring Report 

Volunteer brings oceans of experience to Council committee

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Gordon Terpening stands on a fishing boat, holding up a large salmon.
After retiring from piloting, Terpening spent a few years commercial fishing out of Bristol Bay with his son.

A teenage Gordon Terpening grew up watching ships navigating in and out of San Francisco Bay, and knew early on exactly what he wanted to do after high school.

“Once I heard about what a ship’s pilot did, I decided that’s what I wanted to do.”

After graduating from the California Maritime Academy with a Bachelor’s in Nautical Science, Terpening realized these ambitions and went to sea. His first job, towing lumber out of Coos Bay, Oregon, was just the beginning. He’s been involved in the maritime industry in one way or another ever since. Turns out he was one of the lucky humans who get to love their life’s work.

“I’m a sea going guy,” he says. The combination of peaceful and exciting fit him perfectly.

“Going to sea is basically hours and hours of boredom broken up by moments of sheer terror.”

Over the years, Terpening has piloted vessels around the U.S. and the world. It’s not just the locations that varied, it’s the type of work. He’s worked on a seagoing dredge doing underwater excavation, provided ocean transportation for the Navy as a civilian in the Military Sealift Command, on board tankers in the Far East, hauled jet fuel around the world, and supplied and towed oil rigs near Trinidad and Tobago.

“Generally, it was always so rough off the east coast of Trinidad,” Terpening says. “The trade winds are blowing from the east and the current from South America is flowing north, so you’re always in the trough.”

“This was before the Amoco Cadiz in France and before the Brayer in Shetland, and so the big spills were kind of yet to come.”

These experiences fine-tuned his skills at handling boats and trained him well for his years as a vessel pilot in Alaska.
Terpening says piloting in some other parts of the world, in and out of the same port day after day, can seem dull in comparison.

“When you’re a pilot in southwestern Alaska, all the ports are all different, and they all have their own problems,” he says. “And you get to see the wildest parts of Alaska. I loved it.”

Terpening describes how he analyzed the approach to each port, evaluating the forces such as wind, waves, and propulsion that are acting on the ship.

“It’s kind of like constantly drawing vector diagrams in your head,” he says. “That’s what I see when I’m docking a ship. It’s all just math.”

Terpening says he’s happy to be able to use these varied experiences to contribute to the work of the Council’s Port Operation and Vessel Traffic System Committee. He thinks that the Council’s independent oversight, as mandated by the U.S. Congress, makes a big difference.

“I try to tell other people about how amazing I think this committee is,” Terpening says. He pointed out a Council report on “messenger lines” as an example.

Passing a messenger line is the first step in setting up a tow line between a tug and a tanker in distress. The lighter weight messenger line helps responders connect the heavy tow lines. In 2020, the Council studied the best methods and tools for passing these lines between vessels. Little research had been done on the topic before.

“I mean that is amazing stuff that nobody would do unless you had the funding and the wherewithal of a committee like ours.”

Messenger line study: In 2020, the Council released a study evaluating methods of establishing tow lines between an escort tug and a tanker in distress. This study demonstrates the importance of the Council’s independent research. Learn more: VIDEO: Study of line-throwing technology demonstrates importance of the Council’s independent research

Gordon Terpening is a member of the Council’s Port Operations and Vessel Traffic Systems Committee. The committee monitors port and tanker operations in Prince William Sound.

 

Onboard ballast water systems helping reduce spread of invasive species

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Systems that treat tanker ballast water before release are a critical step in preventing damage from invasive species

Image of European green crab with graphic showing how to identify a green crab. The image demonstrates that the crab can be identified by counting the spines and bumps along the front edge of the shell. There are three rostral bumps in the middle, with one eye bump on the outside of the rostral bumps, followed by five spine bumps on each side next to each eye.
Invasive European green crab, or Carcinus maenus, were first spotted in Southeast Alaska in 2022. These invaders can be identified by counting the spines and bumps along the front edge of the carapace (shell). There are three rostral bumps in the middle, with one eye bump on the outside of the rostral bumps, followed by five spine bumps on each side next to each eye. The carapace is up to 10 cm/3.5 inches from front to back and side to side. More at www.pwsrcac.org/greencrab

In recent years, companies that transport oil through Prince William Sound have been installing systems to treat the seawater their ships take on as ballast.

Ships pick up ballast water after unloading cargo to help stabilize the vessel during travel. The problem is that larvae and other plankton in the ocean water are also taken on board, where they can easily catch a ride in tanker ballast water to a new port.

Of particular concern to our region is the European green crab, one of the most widespread invaders on the planet. Where they become established, invasive green crab can decimate local species and habitats. Their larvae are known to travel in the ballast water of tankers, and studies have shown that they can survive in climates found in Prince William Sound.

Until recently, the most common method to reduce risk of transporting invasive species was to exchange ballast water in the open ocean. Mid-trip, the water would be pumped out of the hold and refilled with water from the open ocean. The theory is that fewer invasive species live in the open ocean and those that do are less likely to survive in a shoreline environment. However, larvae of invasive species can remain in sediments in the tank bottom. In addition, tankers that traveled between Alaska and West Coast refineries weren’t required to exchange ballast water until new regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency went into effect in late 2008. Some would exchange ballast water anyway, but if weather or sea conditions were dangerous, the exchange might not happen.

This graphic shows the layout of the hold of a double-hulled oil tankers. The double hulls create a void space that is used for holding ballast water for stability when the tanker is empty.
Ballast water is ocean water pumped into the belly of a ship. This extra weight helps maintain stability while underway. Ballast water is usually carried in the space between the outer hull of the tanker and the inner cargo holds, and does not come in contact with the oil.

In 2018, a federal law known as the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, or VIDA, was passed into law to streamline regulations for discharges from commercial vessels such as oil tankers. Among other changes, VIDA set a national management standard for vessels to meet. The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Coast Guard are continuing to finalize the rules and regulations for compliance with VIDA.

Meanwhile, tankers in Prince William Sound have already installed state of the art onboard systems to treat ballast water before its released.

These systems are designed to reduce the risk of introducing organisms from ballast water. Methods include filtration, chemicals, ultraviolet radiation, electrolysis, or a combination of these methods.

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center’s National Ballast Information Clearinghouse hosts an online database with information about ballast water treatment and release: nbic.si.edu/database

Annual Report now available

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Front cover of the report. Image is of a rocky beach in Prince William Sound covered with mussels and other tidal critters. Mountains and ocean in the background. Clicking on the image will download a PDF of the report.The Council’s annual report, Year in Review 2022/2023, is now available. This report covers the many programs and projects we’ve been working on over the past year, such as oil spill prevention and response, environmental monitoring, oil spill contingency plans, operations at the Valdez Marine Terminal, invasive species monitoring, our outreach efforts, and much more. Highlights from this year include:

  • An assessment of risks and safety culture at the Valdez Marine Terminal
  • Ensuring the adequacy of secondary containment liners for the terminal’s crude oil storage tanks
  • Supporting solutions for sustainable funding for state spill
    prevention and response
  • Improvements to how the Council monitors weather and sea currents in our region
  • Monitoring oil spill drills and exercises
  • Reexamining the Council’s position on use of dispersants in our region

Download: 2022-2023 Annual Report

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