Working Conditions Aboard the Montlake

On September 24, 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its detailed report regarding an incident involving the tugboat 'Olympic Scout' and the 'Montlake', an articulated tug and barge unit (ATB), which occurred on October 12, 2023, near the Hylebos Bridge in Tacoma, Washington. The investigation revealed that the captain of the 'Montlake' misaligned his vessel while navigating toward the bridge, resulting in a collision with the bridge's already deteriorating fender system. The 'Montlake', in tandem with its 289-foot-long, 78-foot-wide barge, the 'Sodo', requested the Hylebos Bridge operator to open the drawbridge. However, while awaiting passage, the ATB was forced to pause, causing its bow to drift toward the port side. Although the captain made attempts to steer the vessel starboard for a proper alignment, the tug 'Olympic Scout' pulling on the port bow hindered any effective maneuvering. At the time when the ATB commenced its passage, it stood 1,276 feet away from the bridge, but the narrow channel measured only 150 feet in width. Combined, the 'Montlake/Sodo' and 'Olympic Scout' measured 104 feet in width, which left a mere 23 feet of clearance on each side. Due to the limited time and space available, the captain was unable to correct the alignment effectively before the 'Olympic Scout' collided with the bridge's fender. Fortunately, the bridge itself sustained no damage; however, the fender system now requires a significant replacement costing approximately $2.43 million. Previous inspections conducted in 2017 and 2022 had already pointed out critical deterioration of the fender piles due to marine borer activity and fungal decay. A marine surveying and consulting firm noted that the damage from the 'Olympic Scout' contact exacerbated the deteriorating condition of the fendering structure, leading to more severe damage than would have occurred if the structure had been adequately maintained. For an in-depth look, the full report is available at: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2426.pdf.

On June 10, 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard, in collaboration with the tugboat 'Greenland Sea,' successfully rescued four boaters stranded on their disabled 25-foot pleasure craft about 23 miles offshore from Freeport, Texas. The prompt assistance was initiated when the crew of the tugboat alerted the Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders about the incident. In response, they deployed an urgent marine information broadcast and mobilized a crew from Coast Guard Station Freeport along with a helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Houston. Upon reaching the scene, the crew of the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter quickly located the pleasure craft and guided the Station Freeport's 45-foot Response Boat-Medium to the distressed vessel. The boaters were safely escorted to Bridge Bait Marina in Freeport. At the time of the rescue, sea conditions included 2-foot waves and winds blowing at 10 mph, ensuring a successful operation.