HON JAMES L OBERSTAR

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Ship enroute to a repair yard afer lightering its cargo

After defueling, lightering off cargo and undergoing a thorough inspection, the 'Hon. James L. Oberstar' started transiting to a drydock facility in Superior for repairs of the grounding damage on June 15 with an ETA as of June 16. After the ship had anchored on the Hay Lake to conduct a damage assessment, responders deployed a containment boom around the vessel as a precautionary measure. Under the control of the unified command, the operator and salvors began to take measures to reduce the risk of pollution and to maximize the vessel's stability. The laker 'Kaye E. Barker' went alongside on the morning of June 12, and the crew of the 'Hon. James L. Oberstar' used their self-unloading boom to transfer the cargo of 29,000 tonnes of limestoneonto the other laker. Responders also ran hoses to a damaged bunker tank and pumped off thousands of gallons of oily-water mixture. Report with photos: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/grounded-laker-transits-to-shipyard-for-repairs

Damaged bulk carrier to be lightered

On the afternoon of June 11, the bulk carrier 'Kaye E. Barker' (IMO: 5097450,) went alongside her fleetmate 'Hon. James L. Oberstar' to take on her cargo of limestone. Until the evening the offloading had not started. The crew of the 'Hon. James L. Oberstar' used their self-unloading boom to transfer the cargo of 29,000 tonnes of limestone onto the 'Kaye E, Barker'. A crane barge was also on scene to assist. The ship had suffered unspecified bottom damage after grounding near Johnson Point in the East Neebish Channel. It has a total maximum capacity 108,000 gallons of fuel and other products. There were no reports of pollution in the water or surrounding area of the Hay Lake Anchorage. The Coastguard cutter 'Spar' and other smaller USCG vessels, as well the tug 'Wm. Boyd' and a barge, wee also on scene as part of a Unified Command Coast Guard operation. Anti-pollution equipment has been deployed around the vessel’s stern. The operator Interlake Steamship was working with the Coast Guard, a third-party spill response company, and commercial salvors to resolve the situation. No injuries or pollution have been reported, and the vessel was a stable condition. It has an estimated 108,000 gallons of fuel and oil products on board, and the Coast Guard was conducting periodic overflights to monitor for any leaks.

Unified Command established after grounding incident

On June 10 the US Coast Guard has announced the formation of a Unified Command to manage the ongoing response and salvage efforts following the grounding of the 'Honorable James L. Oberstar'. The Unified Command consists of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Chippewa County, and Interlake Steamship Company while multiple federal, state, local and partner organizations are also helping with the response. Representatives from the Northern Michigan Area Committee including the Army Corps of Engineers, the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the Bay Mills Tribe, and the City of Sault Ste Marie (Ontario) are participating and advising the UC throughout the response. The priorities of the US are ensuring the safety of the public and responders, protecting wildlife and the environment, ensuring economic activities in the area are minimally affected, and the safe transit of the vessel. The vessel was anchored down in the St. Marys River about 10 miles downriver of the Soo Locks. The Unified Command (UC) has been established to continue the response. The ship notified the Coast Guard opn June 8 shortly before 3 p.m. of vibrations while underway east of Neebish Island in the St. Marys River. There were no reports of pollution in the water or surrounding area, and there were no injuries on board- Reports with photos: https://www.sooleader.com/local-news/response-to-honorable-james-l-oberstar-vessel-issue-continues-10791432 https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9101299/unified-command-established-hay-lake-marine-casualty-sault-sainte-marie-michigan