Fennica Investigation Findings Sent for Review

U.S. Coast Guard investigators have despatched for overview their preliminary findings into what triggered a 3-foot gash within the hull of Shell’s arctic icebreaker Fennica throughout its keep in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

The Finnish multipurpose icebreaker MSV Fennica was departing Dutch Harbor, AK for the Chukchi Sea on July third when crew members and a licensed harbor pilot found a leak within the vessel’s ballast tank. An inspection revealed a 39-inch lengthy by practically 1-inch huge gash in Fennica’s hull beneath the waterline, forcing the ship again to the U.S. West Coast for repairs.

The Fennica is one in all 29 vessels due within the Chukchi Sea this summer season in assist of Shell’s arctic drilling operations, however the vessel is taken into account crucial as a result of it carries the effectively capping stack, a key piece of containment gear thought of that final line of protection towards a blowout and required to be on-hand earlier than tapping into any oil reserves.

During the preliminary investigation, marine casualty investigators from Anchorage decided that navigational charts discovered on board the Fennica had been all updated and the Fennica’s draft on the time of the incident was 26.25. After the crack was found, the Coast Guard issued a broadcast discover to mariners after a NOAA hydrographic survey revealed a (22.5ft + 3ft tide) uncharted shoal alongside Fennica’s monitor east of Hog Island, the investigators added. Also the vessel’s Master, Mate, and Pilot onboard on the time had been drug examined and all outcomes had been unfavourable.

The findings will now be despatched to the Coast Guard Investigations National Center of Expertise for evaluation, after which onto Coast Guard Headquarters Investigation Division for overview and finally a ultimate report. The Coast Guard says it may very well be a number of months for the ultimate report back to be accomplished.

Last week, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) accredited permits for restricted exploratory drilling actions within the Chukchi Sea offshore Alaska, which restricted Shell to drilling solely the highest sections of wells and prohibiting the corporate from drilling into oil-bearing zones till the capping stack could be deployed inside 24 hours.

The permits additionally stated that Shell should preserve a minimal spacing of 15 miles between lively drill rigs throughout exploration actions to keep away from vital results on walruses within the area, an issue for Shell as a result of its two wells are positioned lower than 15 miles aside. Simultaneous drilling is due to this fact not allowed.

The Fennica was on account of depart Portland, Oregon again to Alaska on Wednesday after repairs had been accomplished on the Vigor Industrial shipyard, however its departure was being met by heavy protesting.

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