GIS & Spatial Analysis

NRDA

Spill Response & Planning

Database/ Applications Development

Caribbean Survey of Abandoned Vessels

As part of NOAA's Coral Reef Initiative, RPI scientists surveyed 34 abandoned vessels in Puerto Rico and 69 abandoned vessels in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2002.

The objective of the project was to evaluate derelict vessels in the Caribbean region in terms of their potential for removal to restore coral reef and associated habitats, including mangroves and seagrass. For every vessel that was in the NOAA Abandoned Vessel Inventory, we found one that was not known.

All the identified vessels were ranked according to the habitat being affected and their potential risks for pollution releases, impacts to human health and safety, navigation hazard, and environmental benefit from removal.

Therefore, we have experience in assessment of a wide range of derelict vessels in different habitats. The full report is available for download at NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration.

Pacific Survey of Abandoned Vessels

Continuing our efforts with NOAA's Coral Reef Initiative, RPI scientists surveyed 73 abandoned vessels in the western Pacific's Mariana Islands during June of 2003.
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T/B Gilbert Taylor Grounding, Petit Bois Island, Gulf Islands National Seashore

RPI used GIS to process bathymetric data of a grounding/salvage site to quantify the volume of material disturbed and the surface area of seagrass habitat impacted, for the National Park Service pursuit of a natural resource damage assessment claim.

Restoration options were evaluated and preliminary costs determined.

The map below shows the bathymetric anomalies that were used to calculate the volume of sediment needed to fill them

Pago Pago Emergency Removal of Nine Tuna Longerliners, American Samoa

In 1999, the U. S. Coast Guard developed an Incident Action Plan to remove oil and hazardous materials from nine foreign-owned tuna longliner vessels grounded on the reef flat within Pago Pago harbor, American Samoa.

This plan involved the construction of rock and trestle causeways and rock working platforms to access the clusters of vessels, and partial removal of the vessels to access the oil and hazardous materials onboard.

A rapid field assessment program was implemented to characterize the benthic habitats around the grounded vessels and in the footprints of the proposed rock and trestle causeways and working platforms.

The dominant habitat types were coral, algal turf, and Halimeda/algal turf communities. Potential injuries were quantified in terms of the dimensions and degree of mortality and/or reduced function for different impacts.

Habitat recovery rates for physical crushing and shading were developed, as well.

Emergency restoration options were identified and scaled in terms of habitat credits, with one of the preferred options being complete removal of the vessel hulls followed by reef stabilization.

The vessels were completely removed in 2001 with funding from the National Pollution Fund Center.