Drill Ship Kulluk is stable with no sign of environmental damage
ANCHORAGE – Ongoing aerial and onboard inspections by recovery and response teams assessing the Kulluk drill ship through the weekend confirm the vessel remains firmly aground and stable with no sign of environmental impact and no leakage of the diesel fuel or hydraulic fluid stored onboard the vessel.
Crews will remain onboard overnight. Naval architects on the survey team confirm the Kulluk is structurally sound and fit for towing to safe harbour in nearby Kiliuda Bay.
The exact timing for potential towing activity is dependent on weather, tides and operational readiness. Once the Unified Command team managing the incident confirms it is safe and ready to move forward, the recovery operation will begin.
The Arctic-class Kulluk grounded on the southeast shoreline of Sitkalidak Island, Alaska, at approximately 9 p.m. local time on December 31st, 2012, while under tow in heavy seas from Alaska to the U.S. port of Seattle, Washington State.
There has been no loss of life and no significant injuries as a result of this event, which is a maritime transit incident and not a drilling incident.
More than 600 people are engaged in the incident response. Shell is working hard with the other parties in the US Coast Guard-led Unified Command to ensure a safe outcome and to protect the maritime environment in the vicinity of the grounded vessel.
Operational and media responses are being managed through a unified response team, led by the U.S. Coast Guard.
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