We completed a study to provide cost estimates and other considerations for the long-term stationing of an emergency response towing vessel (ERTV) capable tugboat in or near San Juan County (SJC) in Washington. Positioning an ERTV to respond to a distressed vessel in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass has been recommended as a priority oil spill prevention risk mitigation measure by the Washington Department of Ecology, Puget Sound Partnership boards, and SJC through its Marine Resources Committee. The study evaluated annual costs for three alternative standby positions for the ERTV tug: permanently moored at a harbor in SJC, permanently on standby at sea (underway), or a combination of the two, to accommodate seasonal tourism traffic in SJC marinas. This work took place in 2018.
