UPDATE: Coast Guard, agencies continue response to diesel spill
MANISTEE, Mich. — U.S. Coast Guard, along with state and local agencies continue to respond Thursday to the motor vessel Manitowoc diesel fuel spill in Lake Michigan.
The motor vessel Manitowoc has activated their response plan and their Oil Spill Removal Organization is on scene at this time working to clean up the spill. The vessel is no longer leaking diesel fuel. Internal fuel transfers lowered the level of diesel fuel in the leaking tank below the hole. The hole has been temporarily plugged and temporary repairs have been made using epoxy.
A U.S. Coast Guard aircraft conducted an overflight Thursday morning. A visible sheen was located between Portage Lake and the Portage Point Wood Reserve. The sheen is estimated to be 2 nautical miles long and .75 nautical miles wide. The closest to shore is .5 nautical miles from the Portage Point Woods Preserve. The Oil Spill Removal Organization is currently underway placing sorbent boom to collect the diesel.
Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard, State and local representatives, along with the Responsible Party are conducting shoreline assessments with no reported impacts.
A Unified Command has been established to oversee and direct cleanup activities. Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the responsible party, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Manistee County Emergency Management, Benzie County Emergency Management, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee and Benzie County Sheriff’s Offices and the City of Manistee will be working together in this effort.
Diesel fuel is a hazardous material and can present significant health hazards. The public is asked to stay away from areas that have diesel and not attempt to rescue injured wildlife.
The public is asked to call (231) 723-6241 to report any confirmed sighting of diesel reaching the shoreline. There is no known or expected impact to drinking water at this time. The investigation into the cause of the incident is still ongoing.
Updates will be provided via the Ninth Coast Guard District’s Twitter page: @USCGGreatLakes
USCG
Manitowoc’s diesel spill uncontained, sheen seen near Onekama
MANISTEE — What started as a diesel fuel spill in Manistee on Wednesday has spread to the Onekama area, according to area officials.
A hull breach of about 1 inch in the Manitowoc, a large freighter, off the coast of Manistee in Lake Michigan led to a “maximum” spill of about 45,174 gallons of diesel fuel, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
At a news conference at Coast Guard Station Manistee Thursday at 4 p.m., Sector Lake Michigan Commander Seth Parker clarified that the amount spilled is currently unknown.
He said the spill was still uncontained.
Efforts had been underway by a number of agencies working together to use sorbent booms and hard booms at the shoreline to protect sensitive coastal areas.
Parker said that as of Thursday, there had been no reports of diesel sheen on the shoreline.
The ship had a total of 45,174 gallons of red-dye diesel when it left port before arriving in Manistee.
The winds had pushed the sheen from Manistee to the northeast. The point where the sheen came closest to land was near Portage Lake.
Avoid contact
Thursday afternoon weather forecasts showed isolated rain showers and thunderstorms with southwest winds around 10 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather also halted some response efforts, but Parker said responders would resume containment efforts as soon as the weather permitted.
“We have teams that will be aggressively attacking the sheen and any other reports that we have from the shoreline and or offshore,” Parker said. “We do have the necessary resources on standby ready to respond once weather conditions (allow).”
Parker noted that the Manitowoc had a survey conducted in April and that it has not spilled diesel in the Great Lakes before.
He said response efforts also include the staging of absorbent booms being staged in the Portage Lake area.
Thursday, people were being advised by local agencies to avoid skin contact with surface water near Fifth Avenue Beach due to the diesel fuel spill.
The District Health Department #10 submitted an alert around 1:53 p.m. on Thursday.
“Residents are also advised to avoid body contact with surface any water along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Manistee County if they observe the presence of diesel fuel contamination,” part of the alert reads.
The health department also asked that people report all confirmed diesel fuel contact with the shoreline in Manistee County to 231-723-6241.
“Diesel is a potentially hazardous material that can present significant health impacts with prolonged exposure,” the health department news release states in part. “DHD#10 and local agencies are requesting that residents avoid areas that may have diesel contamination and to not attempt to rescue injured wildlife. Instead, residents are asked to report any confirmed sightings.
Parker said the vessel would not be moved until it has been cleaned and assessed.
Wednesday
According to an emailed news release issued at 12:25 a.m. Thursday from the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard personnel, along with state and local agencies responded to a report of the Manitowoc spilling diesel about 1.5 nautical miles offshore on Wednesday.
“At approximately 2:50 p.m. the 612-foot bulk carrier motor vessel Manitowoc reported a hull breach on its starboard diesel tank,” the release states in part. “At the time of the report, the vessel was at anchor 1.5 nautical miles offshore, northwest of where the Manistee River enters Lake Michigan.”
However, Grand River Navigation-Rand Logistics, Inc. which lists the Manitowoc as part of its fleet, states on its website that the ship is 630 feet long.
Grand River Navigation-Rand Logistics, Inc. is responsible for response plans for the spill.
The ship is no longer actively leaking.
As of 4:30 p.m. on Thursday it remained anchored off shore near Manistee.
A red slick was seen about 1.6 miles by 200 yards wide projecting to the northeast from the vessel within a few hours of the report.
The Manitowoc activated its response plan and a diesel spill removal organization was at the scene working to contain the spill, the release said.
“Internal diesel transfers lowered the level of diesel in the leaking tank below the hole, which has been plugged,” the release noted. “In response to the diesel spill, a Unified Command has been established to oversee and direct cleanup response efforts.”
Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Grand River Navigation-Rand Logistics, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Manistee County Emergency Management, Benzie County Emergency Management, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee and Benzie County Sheriff’s Office and the city of Manistee will be working together in this effort.
“There is no known or expected impact to drinking water at this time. The cause of the diesel spill is still under investigation,” the release said.
In the early morning news release, the Coast Guard stated that there had been no known impact to beaches at that time.
“However, diesel is a hazardous material and can present significant health hazards, so the public is asked to stay away from areas that have diesel and do not attempt to rescue injured wildlife,” the release reads.
Anyone with a confirmed sighting of diesel reaching the shoreline is asked to call 231-723-6241.
The Manitowoc is a frequent visitor to Manistee. It often carries coal to the Tondu Energy Services, Filer City dock.
Why the S.S. Badger ended its season early
LUDINGTON, Mich. — The S.S. Badger is ending its season after the car ferry was having issues with its ramp.
The ramp and docking system are also a unique and interesting piece of history.
The car ferry uses what’s called an “apron” docking system which is the last one of its kind in operation in the state.
Nathan Wietrzykowski is the manager of the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum and he’s operated the S.S. Badger’s “apron” docking system for several years.
“The one that the Badger uses it certainly predates the Badger and it could be 80 years older or more,” said Wietrzykowski.
The “apron” is the first thing that gets lowered into place so the car ferries can dock.
“There’s the span itself which is what everything drives across it which is extraordinarily heavy because it has to handle the force of the ship docking and the force of the things driving over it which back in the day was a 100 plus ton railcars.”
Aprons nowadays are hard to find.
“Muskegon–their apron from their car ferry is still kind of intact. The aprons in Frankfort, MI… I’m not sure if they collapsed or torn down but they’re mostly gone now. We’re all that’s left in Michigan,” said Wietrzykowski.
The anchor is a reminder of the past and the old former way of doing things that people don’t get to be exposed to anymore.
Car ferries began stopping in the 1970s and 1980s.
Operators of the ferry say repairs could take months, but they hope to be back in business next year.
Passengers with reservations will receive full refunds.
Lakes iron ore trade up in July
CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in July, an increase of 8.9 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were above the month’s 5-year average by 4.8 percent.
Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 25.6 million tons, an increase of 34.3 percent compared to the same point in 2022. Iron ore shipments are 7.1 percent above their 5-year average for the first seven months of the year.
Lakes limestone trade up in July
CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in July, an increase of 8.9 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were above the month’s 5-year average by 4.8 percent.
Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 25.6 million tons, an increase of 34.3 percent compared to the same point in 2022. Iron ore shipments are 7.1 percent above their 5-year average for the first seven months of the year.
Career explorers ages 8–12 invited to join ‘Junior Schoonmaker Crew’ and learn about working on the Great Lakes
This Saturday, August 5, the National Museum of the Great Lakes kicks off its new career exploration program for young lake enthusiasts. Aimed at ages 8-12, Captain Scupper’s Crew Life will introduce the ship jobs and crew roles found on Great Lakes freighters. Junior crew members will tour the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship as they experience a day in the life of a lake freighter crew.
The latest NMGL program will be offered three times during the day: 11:00, 1:00, and 3:00. This is a FREE program for GLHS/NMGL members, Museums for All/SNAP participants, and those who purchase a Museum & Ship Admission for the day of the program. Registration is requested with day-of signups available if space remains. This is not a drop-off event, so junior Schoonmaker crew members need to bring a first mate/grown-up aboard with them. For more information and to register for the program, visit nmgl.org/event or call 419-214-5000.
National Museum of the Great Lakes
