The Tenyo Maru Oil Spill Natural Resources Trustees
August 8, 2000
Page 2

Under maritime and salvage law, and the terms of the contract, the ETV was released
from the federal/state contract when it responded to an actual incident. The ETV was
operating as a private vessel and received reimbursement from the owners of the vessels
it assisted, The ETV was not directed to assist a vessel under the authority of the US
Coast Guard or the Washington Department of Ecology. Neither the federal Oil Spill
Liability Trust Fund nor the state Oil Spill Response Account was used to fund the ETV,
so cost recovery is not an issue. In essence, the owners of the vessels that the ETV
assisted indirectly purchased additional days of coverage under the federal/state contract.

State funding provided nearly 64.5 days of ETV coverage, including approxiniately T-5
days as a result of the ETV going “off hire” to assist vessels. The contractor was also
reimbursed $10,611.82 from state funding for the fuel consumed by the ETV during the
period of coverage. Since the contract called for return of the ETV to its place of origin,
we allowed for time and fuel to return the ETV to Seattle. The contractor elected to
reassign the tug to another contract in Port Angeles in lieu of Seattle resulting in a
balance of $7,675.37 in remaining state funds. The balance is in our Coastal Protection
Fund. Do you desire that those funds be returned or expended on a suitable restoration
project?

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this report. If you have any questions or
comments, please contact me at (360) 407-7465.

Sincerely,

SZ

Stan Norman
Acting Program Manager
Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program

ce: Spills Program Management Team
Norm Davis, PSFO Supervisor

08/21/2000 09:52AM


STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY

P.O. Box 47600 + Olympia, Washington 98504-7600
(360) 407-6000 © TDD Only (Hearing Impaired) (360) 407-6006

August 8, 2000

The Tenyo Maru Oil Spill Natural Resources Trustees
c/o Denise Baker

Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish'and Wildlife Service

Western Washington Office

510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 102

Lacey, Washington 98503

Re: Emergency Towing Vessel Supplemental Report
Dear Trustees:

This report provides additional information requested by the NOAA Trustec
Representative on funding arrangements for the Ncah Bay Emergency Towing Vessel
(ETV). It supplements the interim report that we provided on June 12, 2000.

‘The State of Washington contributed a total of $500,000 to the operation of the Neah Bay
ETV during the winter of 1999-2000. Governor Locke provided $100,000 and the
remaining $400,000 was provided by the Tenyo Maru Trustees (thank you again). Due to
contracting arrangements with the US Navy, the state funds could not be expended until
federal funding was exhausted on April 15, 2000. Although there was no clear line of
demarcation, the Governor’s funds were expended first and the Tenyo Maru funds werc
expended last, beginning on approximately April 26, 2000.

In a contract of this type. the contractor is providing a fully equipped and crewed vessel.
The number of persons employed and other details of funding and operating the vessel
arc not tracked as long as the vessel performs within the specifications of the contract.
The daily rate for the Neah Bay ETV under the terms of the contract was $7,495.00. The
contractor was also rcimbursed for the fuel the tug used at the prevailing fuel price in
Seattle.

08/21/2000

6

09:52AM


STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY

P.O, Box 47600 * Olympia, Washington 98504-7600
(360) 407-6000 * TDD Only (Hearing Impaired) (360) 407-6006

June 12, 2000

The Tenyo Maru Oil Spill Natural Resources Trustees
c/o Denise Baker

Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Western Washington Office

510 Desmond Drive SE, Suite 102

Lacey, Washington 98503

Re: _ Emergency Towing Vessel Interim Report
Dear Trustees:

Thank you for providing funding to extend rescue tug coverage at Neah Bay through this
spring. We believe that an emergency towing vessel stationed near the entrance to the
Strait of Juan de Fuca significantly reduces the risk of vessel incidents and spills in this
remote and highly vulnerable area.

This report is an interim response to the requirements for Project Goal Monitoring
contained in the Final Restoration Plan on page 3-17. We regret that we were unable to
provide a Preliminary Report on April 30, 2000, as the funds were received only a few
days prior to that date. The Washington State Legislature approved $1.65 million in May
to fund rescue tug coverage for the winter of 2000 — 2001. We are required to provide
them with a comprehensive report on Neah Bay rescue tug activities between December
15, 1999, and December 1, 2000. We will provide you with a copy of that report to
complete the Final Restoration Plan project monitoring requirements.

The rescue tug responded to three vessel emergencies between December 15, 1999, and
June 9, 2000:

© On February 22, 2000, a large cargo ship, the Clipper Arita, lost propulsion
approximately 10 miles west of Cape Flattery and started to drift toward shore. The
rescue tug Barbara Foss was underway in less than thirty minutes and was able to
make over 10 knots in 17 foot seas proceeding toward the disabled vessel. The vessel
crew was able to repair their propulsion system just as the Barbara Foss arrived on
scene.

ee

o


The Tenyo Maru Oil Spill Natural Resources Trustees
June 12, 2000
Page 2

On May 8, 2000, the Barbara Foss towed a Canadian fishing vessel that had run out
of fuel near the entrance to the Strait to safety in Neah Bay

On June 6, 2000, another large cargo ship, the Virtue, bound for Vancouver BC, lost
propulsion approximately 25 milcs west of Cape Flattery and started to drift. The
U.S. Coast Guard directed the master of the Virtue to arrange for tug assistance due to
repeated propulsion failures on the ship. The Virtue ’s master contracted with the
rescue tug Barbara Foss. The Barbara Foss escorted the ship into the Strait of Juan
de Fuca and finally, after repeated propulsion failures, towed the ship to Esquimalt
where it was inspected by Transport Canada Marine Safety officials. The response
took over 29 hours to complete.

The rescue tug performed 43 drills between December 15, 1999, and June 9, 2000:

27 drills were designed to test the tug’s ability to respond to a fictitious drifting vessel
in various locations and weather conditions.

4 drills involved Navy vessels that simulated a drifting vessel by shutting off their
propulsion plants.

2 drills consisted of escorting a “high-risk” vessel from three miles west of the
entrance to the Strait past Duntze and Duncan Rocks, the navigational obstructions

off Cape Flattery.

7 drills consisted of deploying an “Orville Hook” device from the tug, simulating
recovery of a drifting barge or ship by snagging the bridle or anchor chain.

2 drills were simply to test the speed of the tug in existing sea conditions.

1 drill tested the fire pumps and hoses of the tug.

Costs incurred:

Federal funding $1,000,000.00

State funding = 100,000.00
Tenyo Maru funding = 400,000.00
Total Costs = $1.500.000.00

Estimated Length of Coverage: 190 days


The Tenyo Maru Oil Spill Natural Resources Trustees
June 12, 2000
Page 3

Conclusions:

© The number of emergency responses this winter and spring was unusually low. For
example, there were six potential emergency response incidents in the rescue tug
operating area during the winter of 1998-1999. Nonetheless, the performance of the
Barbara Foss met or exceeded expectations on all of the emergency responses
conducted this winter and spring.

e We were disappointed that we were unable to conduct more drills that involved
actually passing a tow line to a “disabled” vessel. Unfortunately, there were limited
opportunities to use Navy vessels and no opportunities to use Coast Guard or
commercial vessels. The Barbara Foss was able to get underway in 30 minutes or
less, and maintain of speed of 10 knots in nearly all weather conditions, during the
drills.

¢ One of the most important lessons learned during this period of rescue tug operations
was the successful use of Neah Bay as a staging and logistics site for a rescue tug the
size of the Barbara Foss.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this interim report. If you have any questions
or comments, please contact Stan Norman at (360) 407-7465.

Sincerely,

Joe Stohr

Program Manager
Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program

ce: Spills Program Management Team
Norm Davis, PSFO Supervisor