Cargo ship adrift off British Columbia

Canadian and U.S. authorities are monitoring a Russian cargo ship adrift off northern British Columbia.

Here's a news report on the situation.

"We're watching it closely and hoping it won't impact Alaska waters," Julie Speegle, of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau, tells Deckboss.

Sinking imminent?

Here's another look at that derelict Japanese fishing vessel, the Ryou-Un Maru, as seen Wednesday about 170 nautical miles southwest of Sitka. The unmanned boat, drifting northwest, got loose after Japan's massive tsunami in March 2011. CNN and other media outlets are reporting the owner of the squid boat has been identified, and that the U.S. Coast Guard today might sink the vessel as a hazard to shipping. USCG photo

Tsunami ghost ship adrift off Southeast Alaska

Unmanned and unlit. USCG photo

The U.S. Coast Guard says a derelict Japanese fishing vessel, the Ryou-Un Maru, has drifted into Southeast Alaska waters and is posing a navigational hazard some 180 miles west of Dixon Entrance.

The vessel was first sighted more than a week ago in Canadian waters.

The Ryou-Un Maru has been drifting unmanned and unlit at sea presumably since Japan's massive tsunami more than a year ago, the Coast Guard says.

The Coast Guard has dropped a data marker buoy near the vessel to track its location, and a cutter is heading out to assess the situation.

Another Golden Seas update

The bulk carrier Golden Seas in the Bering. USCG photo

The following U.S. Coast Guard update arrived at 7:25 p.m.

Dec. 3, 2010

Golden Seas gains limited power, assets still responding

ANCHORAGE — The crew of the 738-foot vessel Golden Seas reported on-scene weather has diminished temporarily, allowing the crew to utilize limited engine capability to maneuver northeast away from land.

The waves on scene have reportedly reduced from 29 feet to 20 feet. However, the vessel Tor Viking II remains en route to the Golden Seas and is expected on scene around noon tomorrow. The Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley is also en route and is expected to arrive sometime Sunday afternoon.

Two Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters and crews arrived today in Dutch Harbor and will continue to Adak to provide rescue capabilities if needed.

The crew of the Golden Seas reported an engine turbocharge failure to the Coast Guard at 4 a.m. today. This limited power and steerage. The ship's position was about 70 miles north of Adak, drifting southeast toward Atka Island.

The Golden Seas is carrying Canola seed from Vancouver, Canada, to the United Arab Emirates.

The Tor Viking II is a 251-foot towing vessel outfitted with four engines totaling 18,300 horsepower.

Golden Seas update

I just spoke with Coast Guard Petty Officer David Mosley, who tells me the seas have laid down enough to allow the cargo ship to make slow forward progress.

That’s a relief, but the Golden Seas is not out of the woods yet.

The turbocharger on the ship's engine remains inoperable, so the vessel is underpowered, Mosley says.

Lots of help continues steaming toward the Golden Seas, which will be escorted to Dutch Harbor.

Cargo ship adrift, threatens Aleutian Islands

A cargo ship laden with rapeseed for making canola oil is adrift without power in the Bering Sea some 44 miles northwest of Atka Island.

The problem sounds fairly dire. The crew of the 738-foot Golden Seas, seen in the photograph, reports the ship's engine can't be repaired at sea, says this Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation situation report issued at 4 p.m.

"The engine is able to turn the ship's propeller, but not with sufficient power for the vessel to hold its position or make headway," the report says. "The vessel is adrift and currently being driven by prevailing wind and seas toward the northwest shore of Atka Island at a speed of approximately 2.5 knots. Current projections have the ship making landfall there in approximately 14 hours."

The good news is two Shell Oil offshore work boats at Dutch Harbor, the Tor Viking II and the Nanuq, have been contracted to go get the cargo ship. But they're many miles away.

Of course, U.S. Coast Guard assets are responding, too.