When the Exxon Valdez tanker grounded at Bligh Reef, spilling 11 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound in 1989, it launched a round of technological and regulatory changes that transformed the way the Coast Guard and oil shippers do their job. Even before tankers head out from the Valdez Marine Terminal to begin their journey down to Lower 48 refineries, they face a slew of new requirements and restrictions. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., which manages the pipeline for its seven owner oil companies, has added vessels to escort oil-laden tankers out of Alaska waters. Cleanup crews are trained extensively and drilled frequently. Tanker navigation specialists, called pilots, accompany the tankers to Bligh Reef, farther south than before.
Large tankers operate under stricter weather conditions.
They travel one knot slower through the Valdez Narrows than before and must tether a tugboat behind if winds exceed 20 knots. The port closes to large tanker traffic if winds hit 30 knots. Alyeska Pipeline designed procedures to catch drunken crew members before they board a ship. Joseph Hazelwood, who skippered the Exxon Valdez, was charged but later acquitted of drunkenness. And to add another layer of scrutiny, the U.S. Congress formed the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council as a watchdog for oil shipping.