Feature Image: © Vessel Finder
Under the Unified Command, crews are preparing the ONE Henry Hudson to return to Yusen Terminal at the Port of Los Angeles after the fire on board was fully contained.
Stability checks completed on 26 November confirmed the vessel was ready for transit, with longshore labour lashing cargo while the ship remained at anchorage.
A safety zone will stay in place during the move, and firefighting assets will escort the vessel and remain on standby at berth.
U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Stacey Crecy, the response’s Incident Commander, said: “The vessel’s safe transit and return to port is a testament to the continued partnership of this Unified Command and all of the supporting agencies who have been working around the clock since the start of this incident. Our top priority is continuing to ensure the safety of this operation through its completion.”
READ: ONE Henry Hudson fire substantially contained off Los Angeles
Air monitoring by the Coast Guard and Los Angeles Port Police HazMat Team continues to show levels well below state and federal thresholds, with no impacts detected outside the safety zone.
All hazardous materials, including firefighting water, remain contained on board and will be removed and treated once the vessel is berthed.
Salvage contractor DONJON-SMIT, now in temporary possession of the vessel, has flown in specialists to manage marine firefighting and prepare the ship for safe offloading and repair.
Stability assessments will continue as operations advance, with salvage crews and longshore labour set to work jointly to remove both affected and unaffected cargo.
Los Angeles Port Police Deputy Chief, Greg McManus, Incident Commander, said: “We are working with the salvage experts, vessel’s crew, local labour and the whole of the unified command to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.”
The Unified Command is composed of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Port of Los Angeles Port Police, and the vessel’s Qualified Individual, with the Los Angeles Fire Department now supporting as needed.
According to analysis by the Russell Group, the ONE Henry Hudson incident carried an estimated aggregate economic loss of up to $450 million had the vessel been declared a total loss.
