T/B NESTUCCA; Grays Harbor, Washington

Grays Harbor, Washington | 1988-Dec-23

Initial Notification: In the early morning of December 23, 1988, the tug Ocean Service collided with its tow, the barge Nestucca, while trying to replace a broken tow line. Both the barge and tug were owned by Sause Brothers Ocean Towing Co. of Coos Bay, Oregon and were en route from Ferndale, Washington to Portland, Oregon when the collision occurred approximately 3 kilometers off the coast of Washington, near Grays Harbor. The barge was carrying over 69,000 barrels of Number 6 fuel oil. The tug punctured a cargo tank, releasing an estimated 5500 barrels of the heavy marine fuel into the ocean. It was an overcast, moonlit night and the vessels were reportedly rolling in 6 to 10 foot swells. USCG district 13. Keyword: International Bird Rescue and Research Center (IBRRC), volunteers, oil snares, pompoms, sub-surface oil, manual removal, vegetation cutting, collision, disposal..