Publication Summary

On Monday morning, September 4, 2006, the tug CATHERINE QUIGG was conducting an internal transfer. The Engineer transferred diesel fuel oil from the tug′s storage tanks to a day tank. A day tank is typically a smaller fuel oil tank in or near the engine room. They store purified oil from which a vessel′s engines draw their fuel ‘for the day′. The tug was moored at the tug company facility in Seattle, Washington. The transfer began after 1045. At about 1110, the CATHERINE QUIGG was informed by another company tug that diesel was spilling off their deck into the water. The Engineer shut down the internal transfer. Approximately 43 gallons of diesel was spilled to waters of Washington State.