Information newest first taken from:
The MV Ushuaia has successfully crossed the Drake Passage and arrived at the Magellan Strait/ Possession Bay Pilot Station at 2100UTC / 1800LT December 15.
Having waited for several days in the sheltered waters of Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands for suitable weather conditions, the vessel’s operators received permission to proceed Friday evening, December 12, and began the crossing the following morning. Also on the northbound crossing were IAATO-member vessels Akademik Ioffe of Quark Expeditions and the National Geographic Explorer of Lindblad Expeditions. Radio communication between the MV Ushuaia and these other passenger vessels, as well as the Chilean Navy, was made every two hours during the transit. In addition, on December 14, the Argentine naval vessel Aviso Castillo made a visual inspection of the MV Ushuaia, looking for leaking fuel. No additional spillage was seen or reported during this rendezvous.
The MV Ushuaia waited at Pilot Station/Possession Bay for another underwater inspection scheduled for Tuesday morning during daylight hours. After the inspection, the MV Ushuaia will enter dry dock in Punta Arenas, tentatively on December 16. Antarpply Expeditions, operator of the vessel, expects the repair work to be finished soon and is doing its utmost to get MV Ushuaia back in operation on December 28, otherwise latest for the January 7 voyage. The January, February and March voyages will operate as scheduled.
2100 UTC, 9 December, 2008
At 2245 UTC / 1945 LT on December 8, the Chilean Naval Vessel Lautaro and MV Ushuaia sailed into Leith Cove, in the NE part of Paradise Harbor, to anchor in its sheltered waters to allow Navy divers to inspect the hull. As the cove was full of ice, both vessels moved to another anchorage off Presidente Gonzalez Videla Station (Chile), This site is also known as Waterboat Point. There, divers from the Lautaro completed an inspection of the damage to the hull.
According to the reports of the divers, the ship’s hull was in a good condition; the damage found would not affect either the vessel’s navigability or the environment. It also is believed that the fuel remaining in the punctured tanks is sufficiently buffered by seawater, which had entered the tanks early in the grounding, to not leak any further. Indeed, no further oil residue has been seen on the water surface by naval observers. At 0340 UTC / 0040 LT on 9 December, the captain of the Lautaro informed the captain of MV Ushuaia that he had received the order to release the MV Ushuaia from MRCC in Punta Arenas.
At 0345UTC / 0045LT, the MV Ushuaia weighed anchor, and by 0400/0100LT had moved into the Gerlache Strait. At 0430UTC / 0130LT, the captain of the MV Ushuaia received the order from the vessel owners to sail towards the South Shetland Islands to find a safe anchorage there and await further orders regarding the Drake Passage crossing. The vessel is currently making good progress towards an anchorage at Half Moon Island, weather permitting. A watch is being maintained for any further fuel spillage during the passage and when the vessel arrives at the anchorage in the South Shetlands.
1400 UTC, 8 December, 2008
On the afternoon of 7 December, the crew of the MV Ushuaia and the crew of the Chilean Naval Tug Lautaro started to transfer 120 cm of diesel from MV Ushuaia to storage tanks of the Lautaro and 100cm of fresh water was discharged into the sea. This was done to improve the buoyancy of the MV Ushuaia. Transferring fuel off the vessel also reduced the potential for additional spillage should anything go wrong with the refloating.
Efforts to refloat the vessel began at high tide (approximately 0400UTC/0100LT). The vessel was fully free at 0545UTC/0245LT. Escorted by Lautaro, MV Ushuaia is making her way under her own steam towards Paradise Bay. No oil has been seen leaking from the vessel while underway; however, this could be due to wind and wave action causing any fuel leaked to be rapidly dispersed. To minimize any further oil spill, fuel from the damaged tanks is being transferred into tanks that are not compromised. Once the MV Ushuaia is in the relatively sheltered waters of Paradise Bay, a further inspection of the hull will take place.
The passenger vessels MV Ocean Nova and MV Polar Star were also in the vicinity during the refloating and ready to provide additional assistance if required.
The passengers of the MV Ushuaia, having been flown to the port city of Ushuaia on Saturday, December 6, had a final day of activities in Tierra del Fuego National Park yesterday and a farewell gathering last night before starting their journeys homewards today.
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Update at 2200 UTC, 6 December, 2008
At 1130 UTC/ 0830 LT the first group of 39 passengers and three staff started disembarking from the Aquiles ( not Achilles as already mentioned) at Eduardo Frei Station (Chile), Maxwell Bay, King George Island. There they boarded the
Argentine C-130 Hercules aircraft that delivered them safely back to the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del
Fuego. The plane arrived into Ushuaia at 1530 UTC/ 1230LT and the group was given a warm
welcome back to “dry land.” Those passengers reported the excellent hospitality onboard the
Chilean Naval vessel Aquiles and gave their thanks for everyone involved in their safe repatriation.
The operator of MV Ushuaia, Antarpply Expeditions, has made arrangements for the passengersʼ full
board accommodation in Ushuaia for two nights and excursions, and on 8 December – the day the
cruise was due to finish – they will continue with their original onward plans.
The Argentine C-130 Hercules aircraft then returned to King George Island to pick up the remaining
43 passengers and two staff, and they arrived safely into Ushuaia at 2120UTC / 1820LT.
Regarding the MV Ushuaia, the Chilean Naval Tug Lautaro completed an inspection of the vessel,
including sending divers to establish the extent of the damage. The propellers and rudders remain
undamaged. A plan to refloat the vessel is being developed.
Argentina sent a second flight to assess the oil spilling from the vessel on Friday 5th December. Visual
reports still indicate a spill in the vicinity of the vessel of c. 50 × 500m. The wind continues to disperse
the oil in the direction away from the two closest wildlife sites and towards more open water.
Update at 1500 UTC, 5 December, 2008
1500 UTC, 5 December, 2008
At 0530 LT / 0830 UTC, all passengers plus five staff and their luggage were transferred from the
MV Ushuaia to the Chilean Naval Vessel Achiles, using Zodiac landing craft from the MV Ushuaia
and the MV Antarctic Dream. An additional Zodiac landing craft from the Achiles with a rescue
team and a diver was also on standby. The crew of the MV Ushuaia plus two staff of Antarpply
Expeditions, the operator of the MV Ushuaia, remain aboard the grounded vessel.
The passengers are settled in their new accommodation and were very appreciative of the
welcome and breakfast with which the crew of the Achiles greeted them. At 0930 LT / 1230UTC,
the Achiles left the vicinity of the MV Ushuaia and is now underway towards Eduardo Frei Station
(Chile), Maxwell Bay, King George Island.
A Hercules aircraft has been arranged through the Dirección Nacional del Antártico (Argentina),
and is currently en route to Rio Gallegos in southern Argentina. Weather permitting, all
passengers and the five staff will fly tomorrow to the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
With respect to the MV Ushuaia, the Chilean Naval Tug Lautaro has now arrived at the site of the
MV Ushuaia and options are being assessed to refloat the vessel. Wind conditions in the area
remain WSW 20-25 knots).
The report back from Argentine aircraft P-3B Orion, which overflew the site at 2000UTC, did not
indicate any visible oil spill near the vessel. In addition, a satellite image of the area provided by
the UK through PolarView www.polarview.aq, shows no sea ice and no indication of an oil spill
in the area (see below).
The vessel continues to report occasional leakage, extending an estimated 50m by 300m. The oil
spill boom remains deployed, but is compromised by the sea conditions. So far, the wind
conditions are effectively dispersing the MGO in a northerly direction away from both Anna Cove
and Delaite Island.
Onboard MV Ushuaia are:
82 passengers and 40 crew, including shipʼs staff, comprising:
Nationalities passengers: Belgian 1, British 7, Irish 2, German 9, French 2, Italian 3, Swiss 5,
USA 12, New Zealand 1, Australian 11, Chinese 6, Dutch 14, Spanish 6, Canadian 2, Cyprus 1.
Nationalities staff and crew: Argentinean 28, Uruguayan 3, Spanish 1, Chilean 8
Weather conditions at the site are currently W/SW 20-25 knots, expected to continue WSW 15-20
knots, locally variable.
Previous Information: Situation at 2000 UTC, December 4, 2008
Incident Details:
Vessel: MV Ushuaia
Date: 04 December, 2008
Location: 64º35.5S 062 º25`W
Time: 1300UTC / 1000 Local Time
On 04 December, 2008, MV Ushuaia grounded at position 64º35.5S 062 º25`W, at the entrance
of Wilhelmina Bay, near Cape Anna. An initial assessment of damage indicated that while there
was no imminent danger and no threat to life, it would be precautionary to transfer passengers to
another vessel before trying to refloat the MV Ushuaia. Captain Jorge Aldegheri of the MV
Ushuaia contacted the closest vessel, MV Antarctic Dream, which was 7NM away to come to
their assistance. The relevant Marine Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCCs) were also duly
informed: MRCC Ushuaia (Argentina) is coordinating with MRCC Punta Arenas (Chile).
Currently the situation remains stable. The Antarctic Dream is standing by at the site ready to
assist if conditions change and other passenger vessels in the area including National
Geographic Explorer, Grigory Mikheev, Professor Multanovskiy, Ocean Nova, Polar Star and
Polar Pioneer are all in contact with the MV Ushuaia and ready to assist if required. The Chilean
Naval vessel Achiles and Chilean Naval Tug Lautaro are en route to the scene to offer further
assistance. The current intention is for the passengers of the MV Ushuaia to board the Chilean
Naval vessel Achiles tomorrow morning to start their repatriation.
Possible Environmental Impacts
Two diesel tanks were punctured and/or damaged (tank Nr.4 port side, and Nr.5 center), and
spilled MGO. This is very light oil which is prone to dispersing easily and quickly. The total
quantity in both tanks are Nr.4 port side = 18 m3, Nr.5 centre = 27m3. It is understood that only a
small amount of leakage has taken place before the flooding seawater sealed the tank. An oil spill
barrier has been deployed. It is expected that the wind conditions will help disperse what oil
spilled minimising any environmental impact. The Argentine aircraft P-3B Orion will over fly the
site at 2000UTC to evaluate the oil spill.
The closest wildlife colonies are a small chinstrap penguin colony (estimated 25 breeding pairs)
at located 6.6NM NE from the site on Delaite Island and a colony of approximately. 66 pairs of
blue eyed shags in Anna Cove, 0.5 NM SW of the site, the passenger vessels in the area will
keep a watch over these two sites.
Once action has been taken to re-float the vessel, all IAATO vessels passing the area 64º35.5S
062 º25`W will be requested to monitor and report any pollution in the area and adjacent sites.
This request will remain in place for the duration of the season.
All our staff here are hoping this situation turns out well for the ‘Ushuaia’ and its staff. The company and their staff have shown impeccable standards and respect for the environment and the policies it runs under in these area’s. We have sailed with her in 2006 and have just returned from these waters on her last week. The Captain and crew we are sure will conduct what’s required to the best of their ability. Please refer to the iaato.org site and this for proper reporting on the situation.
