Cougar Ace odyssey to end Monday with arrival in Portland, Oregon

9/08/06

Portland, Oregon

The recently-righted cargo vessel, Cougar Ace, will arrive at the Columbia River mouth at approximately 10:00 a.m. Monday after its safe and list-free tow from the waters of Wide Bay near Unalaska Island, Alaska.

The Coast Guard and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines worked together to develop and execute a plan to tow the Cougar Ace to the Port of Portland. The vessel left Alaska September 1 after Vessel Class Society, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, and Coast Guard inspectors there determined it was safe to make the trip. As part of the plan, Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 71 vessels will escort the Cougar Ace and provide a moving safety zone for the vessel as it transits the Columbia River between Astoria, Longview, and Portland/Vancouver, Ore.

A Coast Guard representative will also board the tugboat towing the Cougar Ace to provide updates on the status of the vessel's progress to Coast Guard Sector Portland. Once the vessel arrives at Portland, it will undergo further inspections by Coast Guard Sector Portland and Vessel Class Society N.K.K.

The Port of Portland has existing auto-import facilities to offload and store the 4,800 autos, a longshore labor force experienced in auto-handling, and the ability to grant Foreign Trade Zone status for a portion of Terminal 6, which allows the company to store and service the cars there without payment of import duty until they are ready for delivery.

The Coast Guard is working closely with the Columbia River Pilots, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the Columbia River Bar Pilots, Crowley, Shaver Transportation, Norton Lilly and the Port of Portland to ensure the Cougar Ace's transit up the Columbia runs smoothly and limits interference with vessel traffic.

"This truly is a team effort with safety and protection of the environment being the primary focus among all parties involved," said Captain Paul Amos, President of the Columbia River Pilots. "We have dealt with these types of situations many times before, often with much larger ships. I have complete confidence in our ability to ensure the safe passage of this vessel to its berth."

"The Cougar Ace project really highlights the importance of strong partnerships between stakeholders in the maritime domain and marine safety. We rely strongly on the solid partnerships we have built throughout this port, and this operation is an example of that at work," said Captain Patrick Gerrity, Commander, Sector Portland.

More information is available on the Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation website at: http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/cougarace

From US Coast Guard Press Release