USA: Offshore supply vessel grounds off Virgin Islands

U.S. Coast Guard crews on Tuesday responded to the grounding of offshore supply vessel Ocean Spirit I just off the entrance of the Charlotte Amalie Harbor East Gregory Channel, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Coast Guard marine casualty investigators were on scene investigating the cause of the grounding of the 223-foot Togo-flagged cargo vessel. There were no signs of distress or oil leaking from the vessel. The East Gregory Channel entrance remains open to maritime traffic.

The Coast Guard informed that the crew of the Ocean Spirit I had completed the sounding of the vessel’s fuel and ballast tanks while Sea Tow-St. Thomas crews had 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.

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan where initially contacted by St. Thomas Harbor pilots at approximately 5 a.m. Tuesday, who reported the incident.

The 1982-built anchor handling vessel was previously owned by Tidewater Marine Supply under the name Chaleur. According to data on VesselsValue, the vessel’s registered owner is now Ferrol Trucking Services.

Information about the vessel’s cargo and purpose of its voyage at the moment of grounding is currently unknown.