Aleutian Islands
Following the Selendang Ayu incident, a comprehensive shipping risk assessment was undertaken with company plea agreement funds, ultimately leading to several Areas to Be Avoided surrounding islands of the Aleutians. Doug Helton, NOAA (CC BY 2.0)
In 1981, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted a Port Access Route Study for Unimak Pass, northeast of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. Unimak Pass is part of the Great Circle shipping route and thousands of ships transit through the pass every year (4,615 in 2012). Recognizing the need to manage those vessels, the Coast Guard established a safety fairway as a result of the study. A safety fairway is intended to provide unobstructed transits by forbidding temporary or permanent structures.
In 2004, a tragic accident highlighted the need for more safety measures in the region to protect mariners, communities, and the marine environment. Shortly after sailing west through Unimak Pass, the Selendang Ayu lost engine power and drifted toward Unalasaka Island. The cargo ship ran aground and split in half, dumping 66,000 tons of soybeans and over 300,000 gallons of fuel into the water. During the rescue, six crew members died.
Vessels transits (in yellow) show that following the implementation of the ATBAs the majority of traffic is now following safer routes (in green) as compared to previous riskier routes (in red). Images via Aleutian Islands Waterways Safety Committee
A court settlement with the vessel’s operator established funding for a comprehensive risk assessment, leading to the completion of the Aleutian Islands Risk Assessment in 2011. The report recommended several measures to improve safety, spill response, and environmental protection, including Areas to be Avoided.
In 2014, the U.S. submitted a proposal to the International Maritime Organization to establish five ATBAs to reduce the risk of ship casualties and resulting pollution, to protect the fragile and unique environment of the Aleutian Islands, and to facilitate the ability to respond to maritime emergencies.
In 2015, the IMO approved the ATBAs, and they went into effect the following year. The effectiveness of these measures are still being studied, but preliminary research shows that mariners mostly steer clear of the boundaries of the ATBAs and follow safer routes that keep vessels 50 nautical miles or greater from land.