Mishap highlights growing foreign-flagged oil tanker traffic in Alaska thebristolbaytimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thebristolbaytimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Print article An unladen oil tanker that’s part of a growing number of foreign-flagged vessels transporting Alaska crude reportedly dragged its anchor for approximately 30 hours in rough Gulf of Alaska seas while waiting for an escort to Valdez in mid-April. The mishap ultimately resulted in a damaged windlass, or anchor winch, aboard the Bermuda-flagged tanker Stena Suede but little else, according to collated reports. However, it was enough to raise concerns from the federally mandated public oversight group tasked with oil industry activity in Prince William Sound as well as the group of marine pilots that escort large vessels through Southcentral Alaska’s often shallow, tricky nearshore waters.