Spill Management Team Experience

Selected Examples of GMS
SMT Experience

1993 - Tampa Florida - Three-vessel collision, fire, explosion and oil spill.  Multiple responsible parties, specialized cargo removal operation, cleanup of 13 miles of beach to meet holiday deadline.  SMT work cited as a model by OSHA; key to the city awarded to GMS SMT.

1996 - Portland Maine - Tanker struck bridge, 4,000 barrels of medium and heavy fuel spilled.  SMT work included extensive cleanup of local facilities to mitigate damage and claims.

1999 - Coos Bay, Oregon - Bulk carrier driven ashore and wrecked in heavy winter storms.  Response included extended seepage from wreck, extreme weather, wreck removal and cleanup work in environmentally sensitive areas over several months.

2001 - Western Chesapeake Bay, Maryland - Power plant pipeline spill of 125,000 gallons of oil into marsh and river.  Response included relief of initial Spill Management Team at the request of the client, re-direction of responders to cut response costs of more than $25 million, extensive remediation of marsh and other wetlands over several months, and coordination with federal and state agencies.

2002 - Port Angeles, Washington - LPG carrier fuel spill during bunkering from barge.  Careful work with local agencies to expedite cleanup of and restoration of facilities while minimizing damage to highly sensitive environmental areas, fish farms, etc.

2003 - Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts - Barge grounded, spilling 98,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil.  More than 90 miles of southern Massachusetts shoreline affected at the beginning of beach season.  Careful work required to clean sensitive areas while protecting bird nesting areas.  SMT members received USCG certificates of appreciation from the Captain of the Port.  ICS organization and procedures used as a model in training state FEMA agency personnel.

2004 - New Orleans, Louisiana & Chincoteague, Virginia - Three response incidents within two weeks.  Vessel collision and 22,000 gallon oil spill on the Mississippi River.  Vessel collision and oil spill at the mouth of the Mississippi River.  Vessel explosion, sinking and oil spill off the coast of Chincoteague, Virginia.

2004 - Port Arthur, Texas
Vessel collision and release of 27,000 gallons of fuel oil.  Mobilization of 40-person Spill Management Team at the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard.  Expedited opening of the waterway to reduce the impact on one of the highest oil producing ports in the United States.

2004 to 2006 – Unalaska, Alaska
Vessel lost power, grounded and wrecked, spilling approximately 300,000 gallons of fuel oil.  The response was conducted from offshore vessels over two years in one of the world’s most difficult and remote environments.  The response tactics were comparable to those of the Exxon Valdez spill response, and was praised by Alaskan officials.