Meeting the 'OneCure': 10,000 Ton Tankers Take BC

Meeting the 'OneCure'

by Ingmar Lee - 10,000 Ton Tanker

October 29, 2018

Today I set out to meet the American ATB (articulated tug/barge) petroleum tanker, "OneCure."

I intercepted the tanker as it passed abeam of Gale Pass, about I mile north of the wreck site of the American ATB tanker, " Nathan E Stewart," which sank there about 2 years ago.

To this day, in the aftermath of the NES wreck, the waters of Seaforth Channel continue to be polluted and are off-limits to seafood harvesting.

This is the second incursion into Seaforth Channel, Return Passage, Johnson Channel and Fitzhugh Channel by the ATB "OneCure" in the last 2 months, and they are the first ATB passages through these waters since the NES wreck.

Today, the "OneCure" was pushing the "Zidell Marine 277," -which is the same 10,000 deadweight-ton capacity petroleum barge which broke apart from the ATB tanker, "Jake Shearer," exactly one year ago, and which then drifted, fully loaded and out of control to within a stones throw of the Goose Islands group, also near here.

I called the the American ATB tanker, "OneCure" 3 times on Channel 16, after which I was informed by Prince Rupert Coast Guard radio that the "OneCure" only monitors Channel 11...

The "OneCure" is equipped with the very same PROVEN FAILED "Articouple" locking pins which failed so dramatically in its identical twin sistership ATB "Jake Shearer."

The only reason that the "OneCure" has begun seeking shelter in the Inside Passages of the BC Central Coast, is because these rickety vessels simply cannot handle even rather ordinary Hecate Strait sea conditions, such as the Gale that is currently blowing outside this evening.

There has never been any Transport Canada investigation, or any other investigation for that matter, on why, and how those "Articouple" locking pins failed in the "Jake Shearer." For the powers that be, a maritime oil disaster is only a legitimate problem if it actually crashes and leaks. No crash, no leak? Business as usual.

Currently, the "OneCure" has made a "HailMary" dash across Cape Caution, -because there's no sheltered alternative- and is now steaming through Queen Charlotte Sound.

Once again, an American ATB tanker is threatening the entire BC Coast. Just as they do, on average, once every two weeks, Once again, nothing was learned and once again, nothing has changed.