For a tense period last summer, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster forced a debate about offshore drilling and the direction of U.S. energy policy. The Obama administration imposed a moratorium on further drilling as the world watched the uncapped well expel millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
That same moratorium put on hold Shell's Alaska plan to start drilling for oil in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Fortunately, before the moratorium, Shell had in place a world-class fleet of vessels to assist in exploration drilling in the Arctic. We couldn't have known these ships and the lives Shell's vessels would save have nothing to do with oil and gas exploration.
There are nearly 20 times more merchant ships in the Arctic than in Prince William Sound. Prevention and spill drills are crucial. Having the necessary equipment staged can make the difference between a rescue and a disaster. We learned that the hard way. It was called the Exxon Valdez.
A few years ago we watched as the MV Selendang Ayu slammed into the rocks of Unalaska, causing a major spill of cargo and oil. The U.S. Coast Guard responded; alas, not every person survived. A freighter, a helicopter and precious lives were lost in that tragedy.
Last week it looked as though history would repeat itself. This time, loaded with rapeseed that is used to make canola oil and hundreds of thousands of gallons of bunker fuel, the merchant ship MV Golden Seas lost power. There were 20 hands on board.
The Coast Guard responded. Thankfully, so did Shell. In gale-force winds and temperatures around zero, Shell dispatched the MV Tor Viking II to fetch the failing Golden Seas. In this case, industry did what mariners do: They responded to an SOS. No contract. No doubts. Fuel up and go.
And they did.
Shell stepped up to the plate. "Stepped up to the plate" is a figure of speech. Tying off a vessel in distress to a tug, in gale-force winds and 30-foot swells, takes a highly skilled seaman with the touch of a brain surgeon. The rescue was fraught with peril. Put aside the cargo for a moment. Focus instead on the 20 hands on board. History tells us this could have been a watery grave.
You don't have to be an Alaskan to know how dangerous our waters are. Spend 10 minutes watching "Deadliest Catch." When a ship is in trouble, whether it is carrying oil, fish, passengers or rapeseed, the U.S. Coast Guard responds. Sometimes getting there is not enough. If fate and the gods of the sea are with us, the nearest fishing boat, pleasure boat or tug responds as well. It is the law of the sea. Fishing families know this well.
Imagine standing in the full force of the storm until towing can commence. It is zero degrees and the wind is screaming. The real story here is more than rapeseed and canola oil hitting Atka and the Alaska Maritime National Refuge. It's more than towering waves, bigger than the First National Bank building. It's the fact that every single one of the 20 human beings onboard the MV Golden Seas is going home to his family. So are their rescuers; every single member of the Coast Guard who answer the call survived.
Sometimes, not making news is the story. The story here is of the powerful alliance that can be achieved when industry and government agencies work together.
Thank you, Coast Guard. Thank you, Shell. Smooth sailing and blessings for the holidays.
Margy Johnson has been mayor of Cordova (three times), a member of the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council and a businesswoman.
By MARGY JOHNSON