USCG Sector New YorkM/V Sichem Defiance

LCDR André MurphyChief, Incident Management Division

Regional Response Team II Meeting

November 16, 2010

Incident Description 0820 on 10JAN10 - SECNY VTS received report of an

explosion onboard M/V Sichem Defiance during loading ops with the tank barge Freedom while anchored in Gravesend Bay

No personnel casualties or damage to hull integrity No known discharge occurred into the water from the

initial incident. There was a report of product being blown into the air.

FDNY tested the water for ethanol and the air for vapors.

January 10, 2010 – January 30, 2010

Vessel Information 443’ oil/chemical tanker Flag: Marshall Islands 18 Persons On Board

Cargo Information

1,722,000 gallons of Denatured Ethanol 650,000 gallons of Linear Alkylbenzene

Initial Response Actions

• Launched CG STA NY 45’ keeping them upwind 150 yards

• CDO commenced briefings to IO, MI, ICR, D1

• Requested FDNY send HAZ team on board

• Diverted CGC TAMPA to enforce 1,000 yard safety measure

• Crew applied cement patch to control vapors

• When safe to respond, IO/MI/Pollution team boarded

• IMT Stood up; OSC notified NYDEC/NYCOEM

Response Actions• An Incident Management Team was put into place on

10JAN10 with the USCG, NYS DEC, OEM, FDNY, NOAA, the ships’ Agent and contractors

• The USCG Atlantic Strike Team arrived 11JAN10 to provide air and transfer monitoring

• USCG assets patrolled a 1000 yard VTS Safety Measure around the vessel

• CERCLA opened for $25K - AST air monitoring = $6.6K

• FDNY Marine was on scene for safety

• The RRT was activated on 16JAN10

Damage to M/V Sichem Defiance Rupture of the main deck - 3.5' x 1' hole & 1' by 3"

crack above #3 starboard cargo Several tanks (cargo and ballast) on the vessel were

compromised. 3 P & 3 S Cargo 4 S Cargo 3 P, 3 S & 4 S Ballast

The investigation is currently focusing on the pressure relief valve on the #3 S cargo tank.

Sichem Defiance Diagram

1P1P

1S1S

2P2P

2S2S

3P3P

3S3S

4P4P

4S4S

M/V Sichem Defiance

Damage to 4 starboard cargo tank

M/V Sichem Defiance

Damage to 3 starboard cargo tank, aft bulkhead

M/V Sichem Defiance

Damage to 3 starboard cargo hold Damage to 4 starboard cargo hold

Broken gusset and cement patch

Twisted frames on deck with

cement patches

#3 Port Cargo Tank – CL blkhd

#3 Stbd Cargo Tank – CL blkhd

M/V Sichem Defiance – Vessel stable at 6.5° starboard list

M/V Sichem Defiance

Trajectory for Ethanol and Linear Alkylbenzene

Environmentally sensitive areas

that may have been affected if there was a discharge

Initial Incident Objectives

1. Ensure safety of life and property in the port-area and surrounding communities during all phases of response.

2. Prevent further cargo release into water or atmosphere.

3. Supervise M/V Sichem Defiance salvage and repair.

4. Re-open anchorage and fully restore Marine Transportation System as soon as determined safe.

Constraints/ Limitations• Weather temps between 19 °-46°, often in low 30s.

• Presence of vapors

• Unsafe operations at night

• Damage to cargo & ballast tanks unknown

• No facilities in Port of NY/NJ that take LAB

• Initial rpts of barge avail for LAB was 2-3 wks

• Ship to ship transfer proposed

• Performing structural analyses by sending plans to SERT for review

• Resp & Ship Crew fatigue management

• Chemical Tanker availability

• Pumping out wing ballast tanks

Incident Mitigation Actions• Utilized internal cargo transfer pumps to move product

from 3P, 3S, 4S to other undamaged cargo holds

• Stripped damaged tanks as much as possible until leaching ceased

• Then conducted “over-the-top” transfer to remove product from ballast tanks.

• Transferred cargo off of Sichem Defiance to two different vessels

RRT Items of note• Issues presented

– Products on board threatening discharge

– The need to perform tank cleanings

– Number of times the tanks needed to be washed and stripped before allowing subsequent water to be discharged overboard.

• Decisions

– It was agreed upon to allow the vessel to discharge into the water after 3 washes of each tank where the water used to wash the tank was transferred to “slop” tanks.

Response Resources Sector New York Command Center Sector New York Incident Management Team Sector New York Vessel Traffic Service USCG Atlantic Strike Team USCG Station New York (4 - 45’ RBM’s) USCGC CHINOOK USCGC TYBEE USCGC SAILFISH USCGC TAMPA USCGC STATEN ISLAND USCG SERT (Salvage Engineering Response

Team)

FDNY Marine 1, Marine 6 and Marine 9 Regional Response Team II NYC Office of Emergency Management NYC Department of Environmental Protection NY Department of Environmental Conservation NJ Department of Environmental Protection NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator NYC EMS NYPD

Lessons Learned Interoperable Communication Interagency Dissemination of Incident Report Updates Logistics Support for Response Personnel

Interoperable Communications

Observations Comms between agencies on at least 6 different frequencies and cell

phones. Number and variance in frequencies led to disparate command and

control during the initial response.

Action Interoperable communication equipment shortfall noted in the

Coast Guard Contingency Preparedness System Communications Unit Leader (COML) identified in Watch Quarter

Station Bill (WQSB) COML will develop an incident specific Communications Plan (ICS-205 form)

Interagency Dissemination of Incident Reports

Observation The USCG Homeport e-portal was used to communicate incident

updates. Response agencies concerned that Homeport is too cumbersome to

retrieve info and the dissemination of key infor to partner agencies was delayed.

Action Situation Unit Leader (SITL) will create an incident-specific e-mail

or text message distribution list to pass timely infor to key response partners.

A Sector New York SITL-specific checklist will be created and provided in the SITL’s “Go-Kit.”

USCG Homeport will continue to be used.

Logistics Support for Response Personnel

Observation Transportation of response personnel and logistics coordination was

difficult or often delayed due to uncoordinated transportation plan. Response personnel noted a critical need for a dedicated small boat

asset for transportation safety zone enforcement emergency evacuation platform

Action SECNY identified LSC position in WQSB For future hazardous-condition responses, USCG Sector New York

Response, OSC, PSC, and LSC will immediately evaluate small-boat availability for

dedicated transportation safety standby

After Action Plans

Utilize COML to develop a incident specific comms plan Continue to redevelop the Alert Warning System to include

incident specific agency notifications in addition to the NRC report

Disseminate incident update reports via email/text messages, in addition to Homeport

If available, dedicate a small boat asset for logistic support and emergency response operations

Questions