Heavy weather drills needed for spill response in Sound

The United Nations estimates there are 3 million shipwrecks at the bottom of the world's oceans. One of these, the cargo ship El Faro, sank during a hurricane near the Bahamas in 2015. All onboard perished.

Prior to the sinking, the El Faro and her crew were scheduled to move to a Tacoma-to-Alaska route. The vessel's captain, Michael Davidson, was an experienced mariner, having worked on boats since the 1970s.

According to the transcripts from the El Faro's voyage data recorder, as the vessel got closer to the hurricane, Davidson and the crew joked they would have to get used to this type of weather. "Well, this is every day in Alaska," said the captain. "A typical winter day in Alaska."

In other words – mine, not his – water is water. I wonder what he would say today if we could ask him if water is water.

[Alyeska Pipeline signs deal with new contractor for tanker escorts]

During the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council board meeting in January, we heard a lot about the transition of Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.'s marine services contract to Edison Chouest Offshore.

The services provided under this contract include escort tugs, general purpose tugs, oil recovery storage barges, and personnel, all of which are key oil spill prevention and response assets for the Valdez Marine Terminal and oil tankers operating in Prince William Sound.

Many on the council believe some drills and exercises should be conducted at, or near, "closure limits," when the weather is severe enough to close Hinchinbrook Entrance, the main access for oil tankers entering the Sound. Currently, closure occurs at the entrance when winds exceed 45 knots or seas exceed 15 feet.

I am thankful to hear this from council members, however I am concerned we are not hearing the same from the people who have the most influence and power to get this accomplished.

While we hear reassurances that indeed there will be drills, and exercises in Alaska, we are also hearing "water is water" and "tugs are tugs." We have also been told it is not safe to conduct exercises at or near closure conditions.

But how else can we verify the ability of tugs and crews to operate in the heavy weather common in the Sound, especially during the winter months?

I am unqualified to speak about marine architecture. I'm going to leave those technical issues to people with that expertise. But, I've been working for Stan Stephens Cruises out of Valdez for 25 years, the last 10 as a captain with a 100-Ton Master's License. I know a lot about boats, and a lot about the weather in the Sound.

I disagree with those who truly believe "water is water" and "tugs are tugs." We talk a lot about spill prevention and saving tankers, but the absolute most important concern is human safety. Trust me when I say that with the size and power of those tugs and tankers, in heavy weather, a true emergency will threaten lives.

The crews of these tugs deserve the right to practice saving a ship in nonemergency situations.

I fully understand conducting drills in severe weather conditions can be dangerous and delicate. But in the long run, it means safer crews and safer transportation of oil.

A tug might perform perfectly, but if the humans aboard cannot function, that is a problem. In an emergency, in weather at Hinchinbrook, the crews have to be mentally sharp and physically on point. You do not want them to experience that situation for the first time in an emergency, and they don't deserve that either.

A properly planned sequence of exercises could verify capabilities and quantify the limits of safe operations. There is a precedent for this. Crowley Maritime, the current marine services contractor, simulated "saving" a tanker in heavy weather in 2004.

The lessons learned and the experience gained by crews was invaluable. My mentor, Stan Stephens, was onboard, and I have to tell you, Stan got seasick — the only time ever in his life, and he was pretty embarrassed about it. But when he spoke of that exercise, there was tremendous relief in his voice. He knew the tug could do it and, most importantly, the crew could too.

If the answer to performing drills and exercises at or near closure conditions is "no, because it is not safe," then how can we trust that in an emergency, in the same conditions, a life-saving effort would be made? One situation is not more important than another when it comes to risking human life.

If the answer is no because of safety, then we need to discuss closure limits.

The tanker escort and response system in the Sound is an intricate web with lots of moving parts. But it all starts with people. The council's message about the importance of drills and exercises in common Alaska weather must be heard.

For those of us in Valdez and the Sound, Crowley's yellow and red tugs are a big deal. They are our babies. We are proud of them, and when they put on those water-shows, it really makes me reflect on how far we've come. I look forward to being equally as proud of Edison Chouest Offshore.

Amanda Bauer is president of the board of directors for the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council. Bauer has lived in Valdez and worked for Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Cruises since 1995 in various capacities, including vessel captain since 2007 and accounting manager.

The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary@alaskadispatch.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@alaskadispatch.com.