Fuel-laden barge stranded near Bella Bella, B.C.

[cuttlefish]

Whatever, I DON't want to quibble but it obviously came unplugged.
"The barge was loaded with 3.5 million litres of diesel and 468,000 litres of gasoline when its owner, Washington state-based Harley Marine Services, says it broke away from its tug Sunday after being hit by powerful waves."
And it was " towed" to safety. Not good.
But huge kudos to that crew for getting the barge anchored in time. 1.6 kms offshore is just in the knick if time, IMHO.

 

[agentaqua]

Tug in distress near Bella Bella highlights need for Indigenous-led marine response
By Emilee Gilpin in News, Energy, Politics | November 27th 2017
https://www.nationalobserver.com/20...ighlights-need-indigenous-led-marine-response

 

[hambone]

Amazing job by the people on the Jake Shearer and Gulf Cajun. Just getting crew onto a barge out in those conditions in the swell and wind would have been dangerous. I would think it's a wild ride way up high in the wheelhouse of the Jake Shearer out in rough seas when you're all of a sudden free from the barge.

The immediate reaction when hearing its an American tug and barge is likely one of frustration. All I can say is it's important to remember that a huge amount of coastal BC relies on fuel moved by tug and barge. Maybe American fuel should be moved up to Alaska well off shore in a ship? Hard to say... but that won't be happening with our domestic stuff. All in all there's a pretty solid track record.

 

[agentaqua]

Our visit to the crippled American ATB Tanker, the “Jake Shearer.”
Ingmar Lee

 

[Tugcapitan]

Our visit to the crippled American ATB Tanker, the “Jake Shearer.”
Ingmar Lee

I’ve always found it interesting Ingmar Lee enjoys running his boat around on fuel brought in by tug and barge, but moans about fuel passing by his place on its way to other similar small communities.

 

[triplenickel]

I’ve always found it interesting Ingmar Lee enjoys running his boat around on fuel brought in by tug and barge, but moans about fuel passing by his place on its way to other similar small communities.

It's the same attitude that's rampant among users of this forum.

 

[california]

I’ve always found it interesting Ingmar Lee enjoys running his boat around on fuel brought in by tug and barge, but moans about fuel passing by his place on its way to other similar small communities.

That's a good point. The statement from Hayley marine doesn't mention where the Jake Shearer was going, just that it was braodsided by large waves that put it out of alignment. Refined fuel products like Gasoline and Diesel have to get to northern communities somehow from refineries in the South. By truck would be long trips, I guess rail is possible but derailments happen too. I don't know where the JS was headed, maybe Prince Rupert to offload and then the fuel is distributed by smaller tankers to outlying communities, or was it headed to Alaska?

 

[agentaqua]

That's a good point. The statement from Hayley marine doesn't mention where the Jake Shearer was going, just that it was braodsided by large waves that put it out of alignment. Refined fuel products like Gasoline and Diesel have to get to northern communities somehow from refineries in the South. By truck would be long trips, I guess rail is possible but derailments happen too. I don't know where the JS was headed, maybe Prince Rupert to offload and then the fuel is distributed by smaller tankers to outlying communities, or was it headed to Alaska?

American crew and tug/barge. Alaska.

 

[agentaqua]

I’ve always found it interesting Ingmar Lee enjoys running his boat around on fuel brought in by tug and barge, but moans about fuel passing by his place on its way to other similar small communities.

Ya, and he's not always truthful in what he claims, neither.

 

[triplenickel]

That's a good point. The statement from Hayley marine doesn't mention where the Jake Shearer was going, just that it was braodsided by large waves that put it out of alignment. Refined fuel products like Gasoline and Diesel have to get to northern communities somehow from refineries in the South. By truck would be long trips, I guess rail is possible but derailments happen too. I don't know where the JS was headed, maybe Prince Rupert to offload and then the fuel is distributed by smaller tankers to outlying communities, or was it headed to Alaska?

It's not just small isolated communities, all of Vancouver Island gets its fuel products by water.

Rail ends in Ft Nelson, it would have to be trucked from there on, I doubt consumers would accept the economics of that option.

 

[ziggy]

Fuel can't be trucked to many of the isolated communities because they have no roads. It's easy to call for a ban, when you don't rely on the marine highway to supply your fuel and food. It's also very telling that communities on the southern end of the routes are ok with barge shipments to supply them, but not supportive of these barges supplying their northern neighbours. Wonder how they'd feel if the people living on Georgia Strait called for a complete ban. Wonder where on the coast they purpose the last stop be?

 

[Tugcapitan]

Jake Shearers loads are destined for Skagway, Haines, Wrangle or Ketchikan. Sometimes two stops, sometimes alternating.
Granted a lot of the fuel is used by industry, (mining, forestry, fishing ect) but it also serves the communities.