Renda, Russian Tanker, Begins Fuel Transfer To Nome, Alaska
1.3 million gallons of fuel Crews began transferring 1.3 million gallons of fuel Monday from a Russian fuel tanker to the iced-in western Alaska city of Nome.The offloading began near sundown, said Stacey Smith of Vitus Marine, the fuel supplier that arranged to have the Russian tanker Renda and its crew deliver the gasoline and diesel fuel. The process began after crews safety-tested two transfer hoses with pressurized air.Earlier, crews laid the hoses along a stretch of Bering Sea ice. On Monday, they hooked the hoses to a pipeline that begins on a rock causeway 550 yards from the tanker, which is moored about half a mile offshore, said Jason Evans, board chairman of the Sitnasuak Native Corp.Sitnasuak owns the local fuel company, Bonanza Fuel, and has been working closely with Vitus Marine. The pipeline leads to storage tanks in town.Smith said the transfer began with one hose to see how the fuel flowed. She expected the second hose to begin flowing soon after.State officials said the transfer must start during daylight, but can continue in darkness. Nome has just five hours of daylight this time of year.The transfer could be finished within 36 hours if everything goes smoothly, but ...
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