OR&R Continues Support for M/V Selendang Ayu in Unalaska

Mixed oil and soybeans in the water and on the beach, from the M/V Selendang Ayu, Dec. 14, 2004, Skan Bay, Alaska.

January 4, 2005 - The spill created by the M/V Selendang Ayu as it went aground and broke in two on Unalaska Island on December 8, 2004 has prompted many response actions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The 730-foot vessel was loaded with soybeans, and contained 483,000 gallons of heavy bunker oil and 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The vessel is broken into two nearly equal length sections on Spray Cape, Alaska. On December 20, a salvage team reboarded the stern portion and found significant structural damage. The bow section is now listing at 10 degrees. A fuel tank holding approximately 40,000 gallons of fuel ruptured when the vessel broke apart. Other tanks are believed to be leaking, but the actual amount of spilled fuel is unknown. Heavy shoreline oiling was reported on Spray Cape adjacent to the grounding location. Additional movement of vessel sections and potential release of oil is anticipated during storms. Large masses of floating soybeans and piles of stranded soybeans have been observed on adjacent shorelines. 

At the Joint Command Center, NOAA continues to:

• Participate in aerial observations and mapping of floating and shoreline oiling.
  
• Provide on-scene weather, including establishing an emergency remote weather station and having a dedicated meteorologist on-scene.
  
• Coordinate environmental issues for the Unified Command, including technical issues related to potential dispersant use.
  
• Prepare short and long-term trajectory forecasts for the residual oil onboard.
  
• Review satellite data and remote sensing information for potential uses.
  
• Respond to U.S. Coast Guard request for assistance in locating flight recorder.

NOAA has also been requested to be the lead federal trustee for natural resource damage assessment actions related to the incident. Approximately six hundred oiled birds have been observed in the spill area, but less than 10% have been captured or collected.

More Information

Fate and Transport: M/V Selendang Ayu A one-page factsheet on the characteristics and behavior of the oil products spilled from the M/V Selendang Ayu. (Document format: PDF, size: 109.8 K)