Orange Sun Hits Dredge in Newark Bay

Dredge doesn't look so good in this picture but that was taken awhile ago. No reported injuries and little or no damage reported to date by the Orange Sun. Here's the CG report:

DATE: January 24, 2008 18:34:22 EST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWO VESSELS COLLIDE IN NEWARK BAY

NEW YORK-The Coast Guard is monitoring a collision between a orange juice tank ship and a dredging vessel that occurred in Newark Bay, Newark, N.J., at 1:51 p.m. today.

The Orange Sun, a 669-foot Liberian flagged vessel and the dredging vessel New York were involved in a collision resulting in the New York taking on water and leaking a small amount of hydraulic fluid.

No injuries were reported.

Diving operations continue to stabilize the dredge New York.

Coast Guard Station New York immediately launched two small boat rescue crews who arrived on scene minutes after initial report.

A Coast Guard rescue helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City was also on scene to assist. The Coast Guard Cutter Sturgeon Bay, a 140-foot cutter home ported in Bayonne, N.J., is also currently on scene. The Coast Guard investigation team is on scene to conduct an assessment and investigation.

The Orange Sun was escorted to a nearby anchorage by tug boats and Coast Guard awaits the damage survey.

The Vessel Traffic Service at Coast Guard Sector New York has closed Newark Bay until operations stabilize the dredge New York become stable and vessels can safely pass.

"The Coast Guard will continue monitoring the salvage operations on the dredge New York throughout the night," said Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth Moser, chief of incident management at Coast Guard Sector New York. "The Newark Bay waterway will remain closed until the situation onboard the dredge is stabilized."

The collision is under investigation.

Below is a photo of the Orange Sky. Not a sistership but I believe owned by the same ship management company, Atlanship. The Orange Sky is 172 meters long and the Orange Sun is 204 meters.They say serving on an orange juice ship is just about the best duty a merchant mariner can get. I don't know if it's true but I'd rather breathe orange juice fumes for a month than have to whiff petroleum product for even one day.

-seabgb