M/V President Madison; West Duwamish Waterway Seattle, Washington

West Duwamish Waterway Seattle, Washington | 1991-Dec-08

Initial Notification: At 1840 on December 8, 1991, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Office (MSO) Puget Sound received a report of black oil in Elliott Bay coming from the motor vessel President Madison. Pollution investigators responded, but were unable to confirm the report in the dark. The following morning, recoverable oil was located along the west shore of the West Duwamish Waterway and a medium to heavy rainbow sheen extended out into Elliott Bay. Investigation into the cause of the spill indicated that the President Madison began deballasting operations at 1600 on December 8 while tied up at Terminal 5 on the West Duwamish Waterway. Unknown to vessel personnel, bunker oil was in the ballast and an estimated 500 gallons was subsequently discharged into the waterway. Approximately one-quarter mile of shoreline, consisting mostly of concrete-block riprap and commercial piers, was impacted. A USCG contractor deployed 1,500 feet of containment boom along the impacted shoreline. American President Lines, owner of the President Madison, accepted responsibility for the incident and cleanup of the impacted shoreline began at 1015 on December 9, continuing until December 31. Cleanup operations were monitored by MSO Puget Sound pollution investigators and the Washington Department of Ecology. USCG district 13. Keyword: containment boom, low-pressure washing, sorbent, pompoms, vacuum trucks.