ANCHORAGE, AK – August 1, 2001 – Deballasting operations at Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s Berth 4 in Valdez were immediately shut down Tuesday evening when one of the loading arms disconnected from the tanker at the berth.

An estimated 24 barrels of non-segregated ballast water containing approximately one cup of oil reached the water inside the Berth 4 boom as a result of this incident. Boom is placed around all tankers prior to any activity at the berths.

Alyeska response personnel on scene immediately commenced recovery operations and completed cleanup activities at 2:30 this morning. A helicopter overflight, made at first light Wednesday morning, confirmed that there was no oil or sheen visible inside or outside the boom.

An investigation, which will include the Coast Guard, into the cause of the incident is underway.

The SeaRiver Hinchinbrook was docked at Berth 4 and had just begun deballasting operations when at approximately 9:35 p.m. the Alyeska berth operator and the tanker's deck watch each noticed minor leakage of ballast water where Berth 4's loading arm number 4 connected to the tanker's manifold.

The tanker slowed its discharge pumps, the leak was corrected, and the tanker ramped up its pumps to restore the rate of ballast discharge. Alyeska's berth operator then heard a loud noise and saw that loading arm 4 had disconnected from the ship's manifold.

It was at this time that Alyeska’s berth operator and the tanker's crew immediately shut down the tanker's deballasting operations.

There were no injuries. Equipment damage was limited primarily to loading arm number 4 with additional damage to the Quick Disconnect Connector on loading arm number 3. Berth 4 remains shut down at this time.

Alyeska's Incident Management Team has been assembled to assure personnel safety during response and repair activities, to insure no further spills, and to prepare a plan for orderly restoration of loading operations on Berth 4.

All required agency notifications have been made.