Tug boat leaking diesel after petroleum barge runs aground near Bella Bella

A tug and barge that carries petroleum products to and from Alaska through B.C.’s Inside Passage has run aground near Bella Bella. 

The Canadian Coast Guard confirms the Nathan E. Stewart, an articulated tug/barge owned by the Texas-based Kirby Corporation, ran aground at Edge Reef in Seaforth Channel just after 1 a.m. Thursday.

The coast guard says the 287-foot long fuel barge was empty, but the 100-foot tug itself is leaking diesel fuel. People on the scene at noon said that the tug was half under water and on its way to sinking completely.

“Mitigation measures have been taken by the tug operators to try to minimize leaking. Efforts are continuing,” Michelle Imbeau, Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson, said in an email to the Vancouver Sun.

The vessel was southbound moving at about 10 knots when it reportedly hit some rocks off Athlone Island.

Imbeau says the seven people on board the tug are safe and no injuries have been reported.

Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman Brandon Austin says both vessels remain upright.

The Cape St. James, a 47-foot motor lifeboat stationed in Bella Bella, was on the scene at 2:20 a.m. Two other coast guard ships, Bartlett and John P. Tully, are also on scene to assist with environmental response gear.

“Other agencies and partners are also enroute to assist as required,” Imbeau said.

According to Jim Guidry, the incident commander for Kirby Offshore Marine, Western Canada Marine Response Corporation has sent vessels from a response base in Prince Rupert. The company’s equipment includes a mobile skimming vessel, boom skiff, workboat and tug, as well as more than 760 metres of boom. Kirby has also contacted Resolve Marine Group to help.

“Kirby Offshore Marine, owners and managers of the Nathan E Stewart regret that this incident has occurred and are working to respond and mitigate the impact of this incident,” Guidry wrote in a statement.

FILE PHOTO: The Nathan E. Stewart/DBL 54 is an articulated tug/barge (ATB) that travels back and forth through B.C.’s Inside Passage carrying petroleum products to Alaska.  JOHN PREISSL PHOTO / SUBMITTED / PNG

More to come

With a file from The Canadian Press

sbrown@vancouversun.com

[Top photo: FILE PHOTO: The Nathan E. Stewart/DBL 54 is an articulated tug/barge" (ATB) that travels back and forth up the B.C. Inside Passage carrying petroleum products to Alaska. JOHN PREISSL PHOTO / SUBMITTED]