Cofresi - Two Boats Run Aground

amy2761

Island Body
Mar 16, 2003
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www.dr1.com
I just witnessed a barge (not sure if it was full of sand or empty) run aground in Cofresi ... then a few minutes later, one of the two tugboats that had been trying to pull the barge in lost engine power and ran aground right next to the barge.

The Ocean World Marina folks went out and offered a hand to the folks that had run aground, brought them to shore and made sure nobody was hurt.

After listening to everything on the radio, the panic of the captain as they ran aground I'm a little shocked - this paradise of ours can turn into our own personal hell so quickly.

I'm not sure how long the boats will be sitting on the reef out there but if you are within driving distance of Cofresi, it's quite a site!

Stay well,
Amy
 

gringosabroso

New member
Oct 16, 2004
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3 April 2007 Barge & Tug still stuck!

As of 5:00PM today - 3apr07 - the barge, which appears to be empty [?], & the tug are still stuck in the sand. Nearly directly opposite the Hacienda Hotel beach. Who owns these vessels? Who's responsible for removing them from what appears to be a sand bar. When are they considered 'abandoned'? Maritime law? International law? Who needs a barge? Will there be an auction? Life in the DR! Just in time for Semana Sancta!
 

gringosabroso

New member
Oct 16, 2004
494
8
0
72
3 April 2007 Barge & Tug still stuck!

As of 5:00PM today - 3apr07 - the barge, which appears to be empty [?], & the tug are still stuck in the sand. Nearly directly opposite the Hacienda Hotel beach. Who owns these vessels? Who's responsible for removing them from what appears to be a sand bar. When are they considered 'abandoned'? Maritime law? International law? Who needs a barge? Will there be an auction? Life in the DR! Just in time for Semana Sancta!
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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Internatioal law concerning vessels becomes maritime law.. in most cases. But this is the D.R. and many issues will complicate and confuse maritime law for a long time.

Bank lenders have most likely sent the big tug, along with the insurance company to secure their assests. The big tug will run about 100K. Take the barge and little tug to... nearest port that can deal with this is back to Florida. Another 300K at best. But both vessels have to be "sea worthy", another 100K to patch and secured both vessels for trip. Need another Tug, double above.

Crew on 1st tug with barge got off, therefore anyone that takes comand, gets on board and stays, can claim salvage of tug, same for barge. But then takes on responsibility for salvage, removing the vessels. The first crew/owners have responsibility of pollution/damage problems as well as loss of vessels and cargo. Whole complicated by legal that the vessels where not in international waters but in D.R. waters and registry of vessels and...

In short: The litigation will go on for a long, long, long time. The costs could be into the MILLIONS U.S. Not that the repairs are that high, just the litigation. But I do not know the condition of the vessels, just the average maritime law.

But this is the D.R.. Auction on Friday.

I must express my respect to ... Ocean World for their response in getting people off of the tug. Also to whom ever that removed the fuel (could have been up to several thousands gallons) of fuel.
 

Bryanell

Bronze
Aug 9, 2005
694
83
48
Just to set the record straight

I have been involved in the salvage operations of the tug and barge since the occurrence of this casualty. Our response team was on its way to the site even before the tug's insurers were notified and since then we have been working in coordination with them and the authorities to minimise the risks of pollution and contamination. I can't go into many details at this stage however I can say that our response team was on site very shortly after the occurrence, and we had deployed an emergency crew on board the tug plus our anti pollution equipment, materials and manpower were in place at Cofresi Beach the following day.

Those of you who have been watching the activities on the beach will have seen that an anti oil spill boom was positioned around the tug to contain any leakage of fuel, oils, oily water and other possible contaminants. Representatives of international salvage companies were on site the following (Friday) morning and reinforced on Saturday.

Arrangements were made with the authorities (Marina de Guerra), and contingency plans were made with delicate local facilities particularly Ocean World and others.

The emergency crew we placed on board the tug secured all loose stores, garbage and potential contaminants, pumped water from the engine room into other compartments on the tug whilst collecting and securing oily water during that operation. Fuel - marine diesel oil, was transferred from tanks under the water line of the tug to secure tanks above the water line to avoid risk of the lower tanks breaching.

The next week will see the commencement of operations to refloat the tug and remove her from the beach under tow to a repair facility. Of course, all precautions will be taken to protect the delicate environment during this process.

The barge contains inert building materials only, it has no means of propulsion and therefore does not present any contamination risks.

Weather permitting the tug and barge will be off the beach without too much delay and in the meantime you can rest assured that the tug's insurers are taking a very responsible position with regard to the whole issue and have been doing so with our assistance and coordination since early last Thursday afternoon.

I'll be happy to discuss this further either on the forum or in PM's with any of you who would like to do so.

I'll be posting further updates as we move forward.

Bryan
 

Bryanell

Bronze
Aug 9, 2005
694
83
48
Just to set the record straight

Anyone who needs to can discuss this with me by phone PM your number to me and I'll call
 
Last edited:

weaselman

New member
Jun 7, 2007
10
0
0
prepareing for the fiesta.

As of 5:00PM today - 3apr07 - the barge, which appears to be empty [?], & the tug are still stuck in the sand. Nearly directly opposite the Hacienda Hotel beach. Who owns these vessels? Who's responsible for removing them from what appears to be a sand bar. When are they considered 'abandoned'? Maritime law? International law? Who needs a barge? Will there be an auction? Life in the DR! Just in time for Semana Sancta!

mabey they wanted to start semanna santa early and were drunk. was any body hurt.[ i hope not ] post some pics if you can, want to .increase the peace..
 

weaselman

New member
Jun 7, 2007
10
0
0
thats way cool..

I have been involved in the salvage operations of the tug and barge since the occurrence of this casualty. Our response team was on its way to the site even before the tug's insurers were notified and since then we have been working in coordination with them and the authorities to minimise the risks of pollution and contamination. I can't go into many details at this stage however I can say that our response team was on site very shortly after the occurrence, and we had deployed an emergency crew on board the tug plus our anti pollution equipment, materials and manpower were in place at Cofresi Beach the following day.

Those of you who have been watching the activities on the beach will have seen that an anti oil spill boom was positioned around the tug to contain any leakage of fuel, oils, oily water and other possible contaminants. Representatives of international salvage companies were on site the following (Friday) morning and reinforced on Saturday.

Arrangements were made with the authorities (Marina de Guerra), and contingency plans were made with delicate local facilities particularly Ocean World and others.

The emergency crew we placed on board the tug secured all loose stores, garbage and potential contaminants, pumped water from the engine room into other compartments on the tug whilst collecting and securing oily water during that operation. Fuel - marine diesel oil, was transferred from tanks under the water line of the tug to secure tanks above the water line to avoid risk of the lower tanks breaching.

The next week will see the commencement of operations to refloat the tug and remove her from the beach under tow to a repair facility. Of course, all precautions will be taken to protect the delicate environment during this process.

The barge contains inert building materials only, it has no means of propulsion and therefore does not present any contamination risks.

Weather permitting the tug and barge will be off the beach without too much delay and in the meantime you can rest assured that the tug's insurers are taking a very responsible position with regard to the whole issue and have been doing so with our assistance and coordination since early last Thursday afternoon.

I'll be happy to discuss this further either on the forum or in PM's with any of you who would like to do so.

I'll be posting further updates as we move forward.

Bryan

you have put mt mind at ease, no need to hurt the fishes..
 

Bryanell

Bronze
Aug 9, 2005
694
83
48
you have put my mind at ease, no need to hurt the fishes..

Rest assured Weaselman and all you others, almost our first concern in such cases is to preserve the marine environment from contamination as a result of oil spills. I will be the first to admit that this is not solely because of environmental issues but because pollution claims are by far and away the biggest losses that shipowners and their liability insurers can face - even a relatively small spill can result in a multimillion dollar claim so it really is the first concern after the preservation of human lives.

The past 18 months have seen two major grounding incidents in the Puerto Plata region. The first early in 2006 was when a big freighter, the "Marielle Bolten" ran aground just outside the port entrance channel. In her fuel tanks were thousands of gallons of heavy fuel oil, which is almost a tar-like substance, a major marine pollutant. In that case too the first priority was to secure the fuel, which is carried in the ship's bottom tanks under the water line, before the tanks were breached by the ship pounding her bottom on the rocks. That operation was successfully executed by transferring the fuel to tanks in parts of the ship that were not in danger of leaking. The surplus which could not be accomodated in other tanks aboard ship was pumped off into another vessel and brought safely ashore. In this case of the "Caribbean Tug" at Cofresi securing the fuel and bringing it ashore was also our first priority although here the risk was less as the tug's fuel was diesel oil which, being much lighter and more volatile, would disperse and evaporate quickly without leaving a dangerous residue as a potential long term danger to marine fauna and flora.

We are in the process of developing a "rapid response" contingency plan based on our experiences with the two cases above, involving deployment of boats, equipment, materials and manpower of the kind you saw operating at Cofresi. The factors influencing the success of such a plan are many and some, like the weather, coastal topography and ocean currents, are beyond our control, however, although no plan is foolproof we hope that our efforts in this respect will be able to prevent or at least minimise the risks involved.

Thanks for your interest.