M/V Morning Cedar; Aleutian Islands, Alaska

Aleutian Islands, Alaska | 2011-Dec-07

Initial Notification: The crew of the M/V Morning Cedar reported the loss of steering to the USCG on Dec. 5, 2011 and was adrift 10 miles north of Tanaga Island in the Aleutian, more than 1200 miles SW of Anchorage. The vessel crew has reported to the CG that there is some type of steering casualty and that the crew was not able to make repairs while they were underway. Shortly, thereafter, CG Sector Anchorage requested the SSC to initiate a SPOT weather forecast from the NWS. No spill has occurred. The vessel is a 656 ft long Singapore registered vessel with 23 crew members aboard. The USCG reports that the vessel's cargo is packaged lumber and that there are 227,000 gallons of bunker C oil and 60,000 gallons of diesel on board. As of Dec. 6, the vessel was drifting in a northwest direction away from land and is projected to continue to drift to the north for the next day. After flying in some Norwegian engineers - to Anchorage, Adak, and then via CG helo to the MV Morning Cedar - temporary repairs were accomplished on the rudder. This allowed the vessel a modicum of steerage, by using the bow thruster in conjunction with main engine and fixed rudder, to control the vessel and motor at a higher speed. Hence, the CG ordered the vessel to motor to Dutch Harbor, where it arrived on Sun. morning, Dec. 11, 2011, to make permanent vessel steerage repairs. The tug Guardsmen as well as the CGC Sherman will stand by until the CG has fully inspected and approved these repairs. Case Closed John Whitney, NOAA Alaska SSC