Cleanup of sunken vessel underway at the Arlington Marina

In the August 22nd issue of The Times-Journal, we reported that the Mermaid sailboat, an all–wooden ship from the 1930s, had sunk in the Arlington Marina.

The Mermaid had been in the Arlington Marina for more than 8 years.

Approximately 900 gallons of diesel were on board the ship when it sank, which brought the federal government into Arlington to oversee cleanup requirements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) led efforts for the spill response, with appropriate containment and removal measures for diesel and oil in the marina. On August 25, EPA, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and Port of Arlington signed a voluntary memorandum of understanding with cooperative goals and responsibilities.

The ship was placed on land nearby and thoroughly reviewed for safe crane operations and required authorizations. The selected location is adjoining the paved boat parking area on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) property, which is leased to the Port of Arlington for Marina operations.

The boat's hull was eventually lifted by crane onto the land on Monday, August 26, at 8:45 p.m. The remainder of miscellaneous materials were lifted over by crane on Tuesday, August 27, by 10 a.m.

Site security and environmental containment were provided to assure safety and minimize public exposure. The EPA and DEQ will continue sampling for potential contaminants. Contaminants such as lead paint and asbestos will also be monitored. Proper removal and disposal of the vessel will occur after it is deemed safe to move.

The Port of Arlington notes that the overall sequence involves spill response, vessel recovery, and removal and disposal. In addition, some damage to the Port docks occurred, which will be assessed further after the site cleanup operations are completed.