Resolve Marine and subcontractor Clean Harbors have finished emptying the fuel tanks of the 74-foot sailing yacht Obsession, which went aground on an environmentally-sensitive reef just off Culebra Island, Puerto Rico on July 21.
The bulk fuel removal recovered about 800-1,500 gallons of diesel from the yacht’s four tanks and day tank. The pollution prevention response is still “far from over,” according to Capt. Luis Rodriguez, Coast Guard Federal On-Scene Coordinator, but the completion of the removal of most of the diesel is a significant step towards protecting the environment. Luckily, the boat’s fuel tanks were not damaged by the grounding, and no water pollution has been reported. The responders are still working to identify and remove any remaining petroleum and other potentially-damaging materials.
The reef is home to many protected species, and the grounding prompted an emergency consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on possible Endangered Species Act impacts. The unified command has had to consider and manage potential effects on four species of sea turtle, two shark species, and seven species of coral.
A reef damage assessment is under way, thanks to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and NOAA. The two agencies have recovered several species of live coral that can be used to repopulate the damaged area later if needed.
Soon after the grounding, the owner informed the Coast Guard that the salvage project would require “efforts which exceeded his capacity.” After learning this, the USCG quickly federalized the response, tapped the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF), and hired Resolve Marine to defuel the boat. (Under OPA 90, the vessel owner may still be billed for the Trust Fund cleanup cost and fined for any pollution after the response is done.)
The unified command continues to work with the owner on plans to remove the vessel from the reef. In the meantime, a salvage company vessel will remain on site, along with the project manager and the yacht’s captain, in order to monitor the wreck’s condition and change out any sorbents as necessary.
The vessel can be identified as the Sunreef 74 Obsession, a 2015-built luxury catamaran sailing yacht with modern amenities. It was up for sale as recently as 2022 for an asking price of $3 million.
source: maritime executive