Trinidad and Tobago-flagged offshore supply vessel Ocean Spirit I ran aground just off the entrance of the East Gregory Channel of Charlotte Amalie Harbor in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
There are no signs of distress or oil leaking from the vessel at this time and the East Gregory Channel entrance remains open to maritime traffic, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
St. Thomas Harbor pilots reported the incident at approximately 5 a.m. Tuesday, January 23.
Coast Guard marine casualty investigators have been sent to the scene to investigate the cause of the grounding,
The crew of the Ocean Spirit I completed the sounding of the vessel’s fuel and ballast tanks while Sea Tow-St. Thomas crews conducted an underwater damage assessment of the vessel’s hull.
“Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment personnel are working with the master and owner of the Ocean Spirit I and the vessel’s salvage company to minimize any potential environmental impact or damage to the vessel’s hull during refloating and removal operations,” USCG said.