More than 7,000 large commercial vessels follow a major North Pacific shipping lane through Unimak Pass in Alaska's Aleutian Islands annually. That number is expected to climb with increases in vessel traffic between Asia and North America. Over the years, there have been numerous accidents, including in 2004 when the Selendang Ayu ran aground in a severe storm and spilled more than 300,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil into the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. One of the largest spills in U.S. waters since the Exxon Valdez incident in 1989.
The court settlement following the accident specified that funds be allocated for a comprehensive risk assessment of ship accidents and spills in the Aleutian Islands and for projects identified by the assessment. A new report from the Transportation Research Board of the National Research Council, RISK OF VESSEL ACCIDENTS AND SPILLS IN THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: DESIGNING A COMPREHENSIVE RISK ASSESSMENT examines data related to the risk of oil spills from vessel traffic through the Aleutian Islands and identifies key information needed to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment.
Source: The National Academies