Crewman reported missing at Unalaska

Details in this city news release.

A Maersk update

Unalaska's city manager, in a memo for Monday's special city council meeting, advises the following:

Maersk intends to pull operations out of our community by February 2025. I received confirmation about the matter via various channels. I also learned that America's Finest may move operations from the Light Cargo Dock to trampers in the bay. The discussion I'm hearing is that CMA should pick up the Maersk cargo. The America's Finest news is related to Maersk. We anticipate most of the revenue will still come in due to the fish tax, however we will lose wharfage and tariff at the city docks.

Ship in distress at Unalaska

The U.S. Coast Guard is keeping a close eye on a struggling cargo ship near Unalaska.

"Although intense weather conditions put the vessel in danger of running aground, the vessel is anchored and stable," the Coast Guard said.

A Coast Guard helicopter removed four of the ship's crewmembers and took them to Dutch Harbor.

For updates, check the USCG Alaska X feed.

Unalaska's power plans

With a proposed geothermal power project going nowhere fast, the city of Unalaska is now considering new diesel generation to support the planned Trident Seafoods processing plant.

Read about it in this city manager's memo.

Unalaska opposes salmon bycatch petition

In a letter to federal officials, Unalaska's mayor says the city and the fishing industry "face a dire situation" should an emergency petition be implemented to bar Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock trawl fishery.

Crewmember death on factory trawler reported

A crewmember on the American Seafoods factory trawler Northern Eagle died at sea, likely from an ammonia leak, KUCB radio reports.

Trident's Unalaska plans

Trident Seafoods is confirming plans to build a major new processing plant at Unalaska to replace its outdated plant at nearby Akutan.

But the Seattle-based company says it'll delay breaking ground on the new plant until 2025 due to adverse market conditions.

"The rate and pace at which markets are collapsing across our key species is staggering," says Trident CEO Joe Bundrant.

Trident's $400 million project

We're learning a bit more about Trident's plans for Unalaska.

A brochure posted on the City of Unalaska's website says the company "is investing $400 million to build a new seafood processing plant" at the end of Captains Bay Road.

"It will open in 2025 and requires extension of water, sewer and electric utilities," the brochure says.

The city is trying to round up $68.5 million for a three-phase effort to extend utilities and improve the craggy road.

Trident, a Seattle-based seafood processing and harvesting giant, already operates one of Alaska's largest fish plants at Akutan, about 35 miles to the east of Unalaska.

Marine sanctuary opposition

The city of Unalaska will fight a proposed Pribilof marine sanctuary.

A city memo says "the city's federal lobbyists have been directed to begin work on a strategy for aiding the city and its trilateral partners to advocate against the marine sanctuary. As proposed, a 100-mile boundary would surround the Pribilof Islands (possibly more) and would negatively impact processing communities in Alaska."

Big Trident decision coming

This memo prepared for Tuesday's Unalaska City Council meeting includes this note regarding Trident Seafoods:

We are told that a final decision on feasibility of building a new processing plant in Unalaska will be made by mid‐October.

Trident already has secured a site on Captains Bay.

If Trident does build a new plant at Unalaska, we wonder what would become of the company's huge Akutan plant 35 miles to the east?

COVID outbreak reported on factory trawler

Details in this city of Unalaska news release.

Fiber and fishing

GCI plans to run a subsea fiberoptic cable out to Unalaska and wants "no adverse interaction with the fishing industry."

COVID hits another big trawler

The city of Unalaska today reports:

An outbreak has been identified on the F/T Araho with 20 positive cases onboard from their crew of 40. Coordination of care and plans for the vessel are being developed.

Unalaska outbreak

The city of Unalaska is reporting numerous crewmen aboard two trawlers, the Enterprise and the Legacy, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Processor in peril

Emergency efforts are underway to try to keep a "deteriorating" vessel, the Akutan, afloat at Unalaska.

The 166-foot fish processor is coming off a disastrous salmon season in Bristol Bay, as described in this KDLG story.

Longliner sustains fire damage at Unalaska

Lauren Rosenthal with KUCB in Unalaska has a report on a significant fire Wednesday aboard the freezer longliner Blue Pacific.

A safer flight into Dutch Harbor?

The state is getting a $35 million federal grant to extend and rehab the runway at the Unalaska airport, the Alaska congressional delegation says.

Five crewmen saved but boat wrecks near Dutch

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew today hoisted five fishermen off a disabled and adrift longliner, but efforts to save the boat failed and now she's gone aground southwest of Dutch Harbor.

The TerriGail, described as a 58-footer out of Kodiak, grounded at 2:50 p.m. in Alimuda Bay on Unalaska Island, the Coast Guard said.

Here's more from a Coast Guard press release:

The crew of the 378-foot cutter Morgenthau received the initial mayday call via VHF radio at 4:04 a.m. from the TerriGail crew reporting a marine casualty and that they were about 40 miles from Unalaska. The Coast Guard 17th District command center diverted the Morgenthau which was about 10 miles away and requested the assistance of the tug Redeemer located in Dutch Harbor.

The Morgenthau arrived on scene about 8:30 a.m. to monitor the situation while the TerriGail crew tried to make any repairs. After the TerriGail crew determined the casualty couldn't be fixed the cutter prepared for towing the fishing vessel. However, the cutter was unable to connect its tow line to the adrift boat.

$12.5 million awarded to finish Unalaska harbor

From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:

Sept. 23, 2010

Corps awards contract for Unalaska harbor floating breakwaters

ANCHORAGE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District, awarded a $12.5 million contract on Sept. 21 to Pacific Pile and Marine of Seattle to construct and install floating breakwaters to complete the Carl E. Moses Harbor in Unalaska.

Federal funds totaling $11 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allowed the Corps to award the final contract for this project which was begun in 2008. The City of Unalaska, as the local sponsor, contributed to the project.

The two concrete floating breakwaters, one 476 feet long and the other 804 feet long, will enclose a new harbor begun two years ago with a Corps contract to construct a rubblemound breakwater and launch ramp and dredge an entrance channel and moorage basin. The earlier contract also included environmental mitigation work of constructing 30 artificial reefs in three locations near the new harbor. The earlier contract was completed in November 2009.

The floating breakwaters will be constructed in Tacoma, Wash., in
98-foot-long modules which can be towed under their own buoyancy across the Gulf of Alaska to Unalaska, located on Amaknak Island in the Aleutian chain, 800 air miles from Anchorage. The floating breakwaters will be moored using stud-link anchor chain and large concrete anchor blocks.

More time allowed for Harbor Crown sale

Deckboss told you last month about how the defunct Harbor Crown Seafoods processing plant out at Unalaska was being offered in a foreclosure sale.

Now comes word today from the commercial real estate broker handling the sale that the bid deadline has been extended until 5 p.m. June 21.