The US Coast Guard informed that it responded to a sheen reported from a container ship moored at the Matson Terminal in Oakland, on 22 February. The crewmembers of the ship noticed the sheen on 21 February, shortly after mooring.
Specifically, crewmembers on board the 713-foot US-flagged container ship Matsonia, saw a sheen around their ship on 21 February shortly after mooring, which was believed to have originated from the ship.
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The Matsonia crew started the ship’s vessel response plan, informed the US Coast Guard and the National Response Center of the sheen and placed containment boom around the ship to contain the sheen.
Divers were then contracted to investigate the sheen discovered a fracture in the hull of the ship around 15-feet below the waterline near the starboard fuel tank.
US Coast Guard marine inspectors and pollution responders also arrived on scene to carry out an assessment of the ship and make sure that appropriate pollution containment measures were in place.
Matsonia crewmembers completed internal transfer of the heavy fuel oil to other fuel tanks throughout the ship on 22 February, to mitigate the potential for more fuel to enter the water.
Once the fuel tank is considered safe to enter, USCG marine inspectors will inspect the vessel and oversee repairs.
A barge also arrived on the scene to offload fuel from the Matsonia.
