MV Sea Cloud; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands | 2005-Mar-27

Initial Notification: The vessel MV Sea Cloud, a 132 foot container ship grounded on coral or hard bottom on the south central coast of St Croix at approximately 0745 local on Saturday 26 March 2005. CG reported the grounded position is 17-40.7N; 064-45.9W. This position is at the Alucroix port channel near the Hovensa facility. Water depths were reported as 9-4 fathoms, but this is unconfirmed. CG reported they believe the vessel is aground on coral. Fuel on board was initially reported as 500 metric tons of #6 fuel oil. This information was later updated to be 180 metric tons of #6 and an unknown quantity of diesel fuel. The diesel fuel was being transfered to inside tanks for added security. NOAA provided contingency trajectory information and weather forecasts to the USCG MSD in St Croix. After lightering the majority of fuel, the vessel was successfully re-floated without incident the morning of March 28 and taken into dock for hull inspection. There was no significant damage to the hull. NOAA DAC coordiantied with co-trustees to assess damage to the reef grounding site.