What happened to Joseph Hazelwood?
The tanker captain, Joseph Hazelwood, was acquitted of being intoxicated while at the helm. He was convicted of negligent discharge of oil — a misdemeanor. He was fined $50,000 and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service. Litigation lasted for decades.Mar 31, 2019
What happened to the captain of the Valdez?
The National Transportation Safety Board reported Thursday that the captain of the Exxon Valdez was legally drunk when he was tested some 10 hours after his tanker hit a reef last week, causing the worst oil spill in U.S. history.Mar 31, 1989
What punishment did the captain of the Exxon Valdez suffer?
The work was the beginning of his month in Alaska doing litter patrol and other cleanup tasks as punishment for his 1990 state conviction for his part in the nation's largest oil spill. “He'll be doing different things each day,” said Fred Fulgencio, who heads Anchorage's community work service program.Jun 22, 1999
What was Joseph Hazelwood charged with?
Hazelwood was convicted of a lesser charge, negligent discharge of oil (a misdemeanor), fined $50,000, and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service....Joseph HazelwoodOccupationMaritime consultantKnown forMaster of Exxon Valdez during the Exxon Valdez oil spill2 more rows
Is the Exxon Valdez still in operation?
In 2008, ExxonMobil and its infamous tanker finally parted ways when Sea River sold the Mediterranean to a Hong Kong-based shipping company, Hong Kong Bloom Shipping Co., Ltd. The ship was once again renamed, to Dong Fang Ocean, and reflagged under Panamanian registry.Mar 19, 2014
Is there still oil from the Exxon Valdez?
A small portion of the oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill still lingers in patches beneath Prince William Sound, Alaska, beaches. However, this and other studies suggests the remaining oil is sequestered, or buried, and currently is not posing a risk to the coastal and marine ecosystem.Feb 26, 2018
What caused Exxon Valdez oil spill?
At four minutes after midnight on March 24, the ship struck Bligh Reef, a well-known navigation hazard in Alaska's Prince William Sound. The impact of the collision tore open the ship's hull, causing some 11 million gallons of crude oil to spill into the water.Mar 9, 2018
Who was at fault for the Exxon Valdez oil spill?
Drinking by the ship's captain, a fatigued and overworked crew and inadequate traffic control by the Coast Guard all contributed to the enormous oil spill by the Exxon Valdez off the Alaskan coast last year, the National Transportation Safety Board ruled today.Aug 1, 1990
How was the Exxon Valdez cleaned up?
The fire did not endanger the main slick or the Exxon Valdez because of the distance separating them. Because of unfavorable weather, however, no additional burning was attempted in this cleanup effort. Shortly after the spill, mechanical cleanup was started using booms and skimmers.Mar 24, 1989
How long did the Exxon Valdez cleanup take?
around three yearsThe entire course of the clean-up operation took around three years from 1989 to 1992 and even now, monitoring is being carried out in the entire length of the coastline to observe any late-emerging effects of the oil spill.Dec 19, 2020
Who was the third mate on the Exxon Valdez?
Gregory CousinsGregory Cousins (born 1964), of Tampa, Florida, was third mate at the time of Exxon Valdez oil spill. He was left in control of the vessel, but failed to maneuver it to the required lane, when it struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound.
How big is Bligh Reef?
The Far Northern Explorer trips visit a massive Reef area covering over 5000sq nautical miles of reef, and we visit any variety of locations in the vicinity of Bligh Reef on these trips based on weather and fishing.
Who was the captain of Exxon Valdez?
The Alaska court of appeals overturns the conviction of Joseph Hazelwood, the former captain of the oil tanker Exxon Valdez. Hazelwood, who was found guilty of negligence for his role in the massive oil spill in Prince William Sound in 1989, successfully argued that he was entitled to immunity from prosecution because he had reported ...
Who was the tanker captain in the Valdez spill?
Captain Hazelwood, who had prior drunk driving arrests, had a spotless record as a tanker captain before the Valdez accident. Exxon compounded the environmental problems caused by the spill by not beginning the cleanup effort right away. In 1991, a civil suit resulted in a billion-dollar judgment against them.
How many barrels of oil did the Exxon Valdez ship carry?
The ship, 1,000 feet long and carrying 1.3 million barrels of oil, ran aground on Bligh Reef on March 24, 1989, after failing to return to the shipping lanes, which it had maneuvered out of to avoid icebergs. It later came to light that several officers, including Captain Hazelwood, had been drinking at a bar the night the Exxon Valdez left port.
How many people died in the Exxon Valdez accident?
The Exxon Valdez accident on the Alaskan coast was one of the largest environmental disasters in American history and resulted in the deaths of 250,000 sea birds, thousands of sea otters and seals, hundreds of bald eagles and countless salmon and herring eggs.
Did Captain Hazelwood drink at the Exxon Valdez?
However, there wasn’t enough evidence to support the notion that alcohol impairment had been responsible for the oil spill.
Did Exxon Valdez pay damages?
However, years later, while their appeal remained backlogged in the court system, Exxon still hadn’t paid the damages. The Exxon Valdez was repaired and had a series of different owners before being bought by a Hong Kong-based company, which renamed it the Dong Fang Ocean.
What was the name of the guy who was ridiculed on Late Night with David Letterman?
Following the Exxon Valdez incident, Hazelwood was ridiculed by talk shows and late night television. He was the subject of a "Top Ten" list on Late Night with David Letterman, in which one of his excuses was, "I was just trying to scrape some ice off the reef for my margarita."
How many vodkas did Hazelwood drink?
By his own admission, Hazelwood drank "two or three vodkas" between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. that same night, before boarding the Exxon Valdez at 8:25 p.m.
What is the Hazelwood condition?
Hazelwood says that he was diagnosed with a form of "depression, characterized by episodic abuse of alcohol". His driver's license had been suspended or revoked three times by the state of New York for alcohol violations since 1984.
When did Exxon Valdez hit Bligh Reef?
Exxon Valdez failed to return to the shipping lanes and struck Bligh Reef at around 12:04 a.m. on March 24, 1989. The accident resulted in the discharge of around 11 million gallons of oil, 20% of the cargo, into Prince William Sound.
When did Exxon Valdez get his license suspended?
Following rehabilitation he received 90 days of leave to attend Alcoholics Anonymous. At the time of the Exxon Valdez incident in March 1989, his New York state driving privileges were suspended as a result of a driving under the influence arrest on September 13, 1988.
When did the Exxon Valdez spill?
Exxon Valdez oil spill. Exxon Valdez departed the port of Valdez, Alaska, at 9:12 p.m. on March 23, 1989, with 53 million gallons of crude oil bound for California. A harbor pilot guided the ship through the Valdez Narrows before departing the ship and returning control to Hazelwood, the ship's master.
What was the sentence for Hazelwood?
Hazelwood was convicted of a lesser charge, negligent discharge of oil (a misdemeanor), fined $50,000, and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service .
What was the name of the ship that was used for sea trials?
Nearly a year and $30 million later, the ship emerged for sea trials as the Exxon Mediterranean. The Exxon Valdez had suffered the ignominy—and corporate hardship—of effectively being singled out in U.S. legislation ( the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. (link is external)
What was the oil pollution act of 1990?
Exxon filed suit in federal court challenging the provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 that had banned its tanker from the Prince William Sound trade route. In November 2002, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Oil Pollution Act and its vessel prohibition provision (the Justice Department noting that to that time, 18 vessels had been prevented from entering Prince William Sound). While Sea River had argued that the law unfairly singled out and punished its tanker, and that there was no reason to believe that a tanker guilty of spilling in the past would spill in the future, the three-judge panel disagreed unanimously.
When did the oil spill happen?
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the landmark law resulting from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, legislated the phase-out of all single-hulled tankers from U.S. waters by 2015. On October 21, 2003, single-hulled tankers carrying heavy oils were banned by the European Union.
When was the Exxon Valdez delivered?
When the Exxon Valdez was delivered to Exxon on December 11, 1986, it was the largest vessel ever built on the west coast of the U.S. On July 30, 1989, four months after it ran aground in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and caused the then-largest oil spill in U.S. waters, the crippled Exxon Valdez entered dry dock at National Steel ...
Where did the Dong Fang Ocean collide with the Aali?
On that day, it collided with another bulk carrier, the Aali in the Yellow Sea off Chengshan, China. Both vessels were severely damaged; the Dong Fang Ocean lost both anchors, and the Aali sustained damage to its ballast tanks. The Dong Fang Ocean moved to the port of Longyan with assistance by tugs.
How far did the Prince William Sound hull plates hang?
The trip south from Prince William Sound had not been without incident. Divers discovered hull plates hanging from the frame 70 feet below the surface that had to be cut away, and a 10 mile oil slick trailing behind the ship for a time prevented it from entering San Diego Bay.
When did Exxon ship merge with Sea River?
In 1993, Exxon spun off its shipping arm to a subsidiary, Sea River Maritime, Inc., and the Exxon Mediterranean became the Sea River Mediterranean. This was shortened to S/R Mediterranean. In 2002, the ship was re-assigned to Asian routes and then temporarily mothballed in an undisclosed location.
When did the Exxon Valdez spill happen?
MARCH 12, 2014 -- The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred on March 24, 1989. This spill was a turning point for the nation and a major event in the history of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration. It also led to major changes in the federal approach to oil spill response, and the technical, policy, and legal outcomes continue to reverberate today.
When did Exxon Valdez run aground?
A full view of the Exxon Shipping Company's safety calendar, which featured the Exxon Valdez the same month the ship ran aground, in March 1989. Image: From the collection of Gary Shigenaka. Last updated Wednesday, May 22, 2019 10:40am PDT. You are here.
What port was the Exxon Valdez named after?
When the Exxon Valdez first arrived at the Port of Valdez later that month, the town celebrated its arrival with a party. "We were quite proud of having that tanker named after the city of Valdez," recalls former Mayor John Devens.
What happened in 1984?
This document will become part of the Congressional investigation of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Later in 1984, Alyeska conducts an oil spill response practice drill that federal and state officials deem a failure. In December 1984, DEC staffers in Valdez write another lengthy memo to their administrators detailing shortcomings in Alyeska's spill response program.
How much did Alyeska buy a skimmer?
Alyeska vows to increase its response capacity and decides to buy a high-tech, 122-foot-long skimmer, at a cost of $5 million.
What was the name of the act that allowed the oil pipeline to be built in Alaska?
On November 16, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act. , which prohibited any further legal challenges. This pipeline would connect the developing oil fields of Alaska with the port town of Valdez, where oil could be shipped out on tankers through the Gulf of Alaska.
What is the role of NOAA in oil spills?
The 1982 revisions formally codified NOAA's role as coordinator of scientific activities during oil spill emergencies. NOAA designated nine Scientific Support Coordinators, or SSCs, to coordinate scientific information and provide critical support to the U.S. Coast Guard, and other federal on-scene commanders.
How many oil spills have occurred since Exxon Valdez?
Since Exxon Valdez, more than 9,500 tanker spills have occurred worldwide. Some 20 years later, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico dumped 19 times more oil into the ocean than Exxon Valdez did.
Who was responsible for the Valdez oil spill?
Federal investigators spread blame widely for the Exxon Valdez oil spill Tuesday, faulting Exxon Corp. for not providing “a fit master and a rested and sufficient crew” and also blaming the captain, his third mate, the Coast Guard and local authorities.
How many oil spills in the US in 2018?
But spills happen frequently. According to data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there were 137 oil spills in 2018, about 11 per month. NOAA updates their incident reports of oil and chemical spills every day through their Emergency Response Division.
How long does it take to clean up an oil spill?
The oil spill cleanup can take several years, but most commonly it will take a couple of weeks. Most experts say that to cleanup an oil spill will take years, but some say that it will only take a couple of days. It depends on how much oil was spilled. It takes a long time to clean up an oil spill.
How much oil is spilled in the US?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 1.3 million gallons (4.9 million liters) of petroleum are spilled into U.S. waters from vessels and pipelines in a typical year. A major oil spill could easily double that amount.
How much did the Exxon Valdez oil spill cost?
Exxon Valdez oil spill costs exceeded $7 billion Cleanup alone cost in the region of US $2.5 billion and total costs (including fines, penalties and claims settlements) have, at times been estimated at as much as US $7 billion.”.
How many holes did the oil spill in Alaska have?
Does oil spill damage last forever? On the rocky beaches of Alaska, scientists plunged shovels and picks into the ground and dug 6,775 holes, repeatedly striking oil — still pungent and dangerous a dozen years after the Exxon Valdez infamously spilled its cargo. “It’s going to go away, the oil is. ….
Overview
Joseph Jeffrey Hazelwood (born September 24, 1946) is an American sailor. He was the captain of Exxon Valdez during her 1989 oil spill. He was accused of being intoxicated which contributed to the disaster, but was cleared of this charge at his 1990 trial after witnesses testified that he was sober around the time of the accident. Hazelwood was convicted of a lesser charge, negligent discharge of oil (a misdemeanor), fined $50,000, and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community ser…
Early years
Hazelwood was born in Hawkinsville, Georgia, and raised in Huntington, Long Island, New York. His father, Joseph, was a United States Marine Corps torpedo bomber pilot turned airline pilot. His mother, Margaret, was born in Georgia. Hazelwood was their first-born son. He was married in 1969 to Suzanne and has one daughter, Alison (born 1975).
In 1964, Hazelwood graduated from Huntington High School, where his IQwas reportedly tested a…
Early career
Following college, on June 10, 1968 he was hired as a Third Mate by Humble Oil and Refining Company, which later became Exxon Shipping Company. His first ship was Esso Florence homeported in Wilmington, North Carolina. Hazelwood climbed the ranks of the merchant marine until he obtained a master's license at age 31.
By age 32, he was the youngest captain working for Exxonwhen he took command of Exxon Phil…
Exxon Valdez oil spill
Exxon Valdez departed the port of Valdez, Alaska, at 9:12 p.m. on March 23, 1989, with 53 million gallons of crude oil bound for California. A harbor pilot guided the ship through the Valdez Narrows before departing the ship and returning control to Hazelwood, the ship's master. The ship maneuvered out of the outbound traffic lane in the Traffic Separation Scheme(TSS) to avoid iceber…
Post-Exxon Valdez
Hazelwood never had his masters' license revoked and it remains valid to this date , but he has been unable to find long-term work as a captain after the spill. His alma mater, SUNY Maritime College, hired him in a show of solidarity as a teacher aboard the T/S Empire State Vthe year after the incident with the Valdez. In 1997, he was working as a para-legal and maritime consultant with New York City's Chalos & Brown, the firm that represented him in his legal cases. He was residin…
In popular culture
Following the Exxon Valdez incident, Hazelwood was ridiculed by talk shows and late night television. He was the subject of a "Top Ten" list on Late Night with David Letterman, in which one of his excuses was, "I was just trying to scrape some ice off the reef for my margarita."
He was featured in the syndicated comic strip The Far Side, which showed him as a clumsy person who spilled things in various stages of his life; as a baby (his cup), teenager (pen ink in his shirt …
External links
• The Captain – Anchorage Daily News index of stories about Joseph Hazelwood
• Radio call by Joseph Hazelwood reporting to the Coast Guard that Exxon Valdez had "fetched up hard aground" and was "evidently leaking some oil."
• Thinkquest – Hazelwood Biography