The ill-fated container vessel COSCO Busan, which sideswiped a footing of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Nov. 7 and subsequently spilled nearly 60,000 gallons of bunker fuel into Bay Area waters, sailed out of San Francisco Bay Dec. 20 headed for a repair facility in Asia.
The Busan transited under the Golden Gate Bridge without incident late Thursday after receiving U.S. Coast Guard clearance to resume maritime commerce.
The vessel, which had been held in the Bay under several orders including a hold by the Coast Guard, was allowed to leave after the federal government and the Hong Kong-based owners of the ship resolved legal issues regarding liability for more than $55 million in costs incurred by the oil spill.
The Cosco Busan departs San Francisco Bay on Dec. 20, 2007
The ship owners posted a $79.5 million bond, which according to the U.S. Justice Department, will serve as a security deposit to cover additional costs for the cleanup and any possible judgment in civil cases against the ship owner. Federal law limits the bond amount to the value of the vessel.
The Coast Guard port captain previously directed the master of the Busan to keep the ship in port in order to ensure the vessel’s seaworthiness; the crew’s proper training in bridge management in accordance with international standards; and that U.S. legal interests are protected in the event the owner, operator, or person in charge is subject to a fine or civil penalty.
Investigations into the incident by the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board continue.
American Shipper
Login
