the grounding of exxon valdez

8/3/2019 The Grounding of Exxon Valdez

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The Grounding of

Exxon ValdezMarch 24, 1989March 24, 1989


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Key Words

Catastrophic damage / Fatigue / Impairment /

Alcoholism / Alcohol-related traffic violations /

Rehabilitation treatment programme / Eyewitness /

Toxicological analysis of blood / Blood alcohol

concentration (BAC) / Speech analysis / Radio

transmissions / Misarticulation of sounds


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The Grounding

On March 24, 1989, the U.S. tanker Exxon Valdez,

loaded with about 1,263,000 barrels of crude oil,

grounded on Bligh Reef near Valdez, Alaska. At the

time of the grounding, the vessel was under the

navigational control of the Third Mate. There were

no injuries, but about 258,000 barrels of cargo were

spilled when eight cargo tanks ruptured.


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This spill has impacted Alaskas environment and

community aspects such as tourism in many ways,

and will for many years to come. The Exxon Valdez

accident is widely considered the number one spill

worldwide in terms of damage to the environment.


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The timing of the spill, the remote and spectacular

location, the thousands of miles of rugged and wild

shoreline, and the abundance of wildlife in the region

combined to make it an environmental disaster well

beyond the scope of other spills.


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No human lives were lost as a direct result of the

disaster, but there were a few deaths associated

with the cleanup. Indirectly, however, the human and

natural losses were great. Fisheries, subsistence

livelihoods, tourism, and wildlife were, and still are,

affected greatly because of this accident.


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The Causes of the Accident

The investigation indicated that the accident was

caused by three factors:

Fatigue resulting from excessive workload.

Alcoholism.

Failure to provide a proper navigation watch.


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Fatigue

Fatigue is associated with physical and/or mental

weakness. Fatigue is considered a symptom, as

opposed to a medical sign, because it is reported

by the patient instead of being observed by others.


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Alcoholism

Getting in the habit of consuming too much alcohol

results in alcoholism. Persons who suffer from

alcoholism become alcohol addicts. Therefore,

alcoholism is medically defined as a disabling

addictive disorder requiring rehabilitation treatment

programmes because alcohol damages almost

every organ in the body, including the brain.


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Improper Navigation Watch

The Master failed to provide a proper navigation

watch because of impairment from alcohol. At the

time of the grounding, the vessel was under the

navigational control of the Third Mate who failed to

properly manoeuvre the vessel because of fatigue

and excessive workload.


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The Losses Resulting from the Grounding

The cost of the lost cargo of crude oil.

The cost of tanker repair.

The cost of cleanup operations.

The cost of rehabilitation programmes.


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Oiled sea otter on shore


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Bald eagle in rehabilitation


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Some of the techniques used in attempt to clean the

spilled oil were hot water treatments, high-pressure

cold water treatments, and mechanical cleanup. Hot

water treatmentwas popular until it was determined

that the treatment could be causing more damage

than the oil. Small organisms were being cooked by

the hot water.


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Workers using high-

pressure, hot-water

washing to clean the oiled

shoreline.


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International Response to Exxon Valdez

Grounding

One of the most effective international treaties on

marine pollution is the International Convention for

the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, 1978

(referred to as MARPOL 73/78). This treaty attempts

to reduce pollution from ships, including oil,

chemicals, and plastics.


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Also as a response to the Exxon Valdez spill in

1989, the International Convention on Oil Pollution

Preparedness, Response, and Cooperation was

signed. This treaty sets requirements for oil spill

emergency plans and mechanisms for cooperation

between transboundary spills, and an annex on

hazardous substances also includes protocols for

handling these types of materials.


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Subsurface oil is of greater concern than

surface oil. Subsurface oil can remain dormant

for many years before being dispersed and is

more liquid, still toxic, and may become

biologically available.

Subsurface Oil and Surface Oil

the grounding of exxon valdez

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