USCG: Oils Spills During Bunkering Ops in Honolulu

The U.S. Coast Guard launched oil spill response operations following an oil discharge near Pier 19 in Honolulu on November 7.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received a report from the master of the 8,627 dwt container vessel Kamokuiki on Wednesday evening that heavy fuel oil discharged during bunkering operations with a barge.

The crew of the vessel immediately secured the discharge, activated their vessel response plan, and began clean-up operations.

Pacific Environmental Corporation and Marine Spill Response Corporation representatives deployed 25 bales of absorbent material stretching from the stern of the vessel to Pier 22. Two response vessels arrived on scene and deployed 1,600 feet of hard boom surrounding the 25 bales of absorbent material and spilled oil.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew completed an over-flight of the impacted area and confirmed some of the oil had leaked out of the contained area and was coming ashore near Coast Guard Base Honolulu on Sand Island.

By Thursday, the crews managed to collects some two barrels (about 84 gallons) of oil with sorbent material, and another 40 gallons have been cleaned up by skimmers currently deployed in the area.