Crowley Delivers Third in Series of Three Prevention and Response Tugs to Alyeska

(SEATTLE – August 3, 2000) Crowley Marine Services has delivered the AWARE, the third in a series of three 140-foot, 10,000-horsepower Prevention and Response Tugs (PRTs), to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in Valdez, Alaska.

The AWARE and her two sister ships – the ATTENTIVE and ALERT — have been specifically designed and developed for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company by Crowley for use in the Trans Alaska Pipeline System trade. The ALERT was delivered to Alyeska in February and the ATTENTIVE was delivered in June.

The three PRTs are deployed in Alyeska’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS), serving as tanker escorts in Prince William Sound.

Alyeska/SERVS is the largest oil spill prevention and response organization in the world. The mission of Alyeska/SERVS is to prevent oil spills by assisting tankers in safe navigation through Prince William Sound, and to protect the environment by providing rapid and effective response services to the Valdez Marine Terminal and Alaska crude oil shippers.

“We are proud to welcome the AWARE to our Ship Escort and Response System fleet, said Dan Hisey, Chief Operating Officer of Alyeska Pipeline. With her arrival, we complete the modernization of our fleet. Utilizing the best available technology, we have significantly increased our prevention and response capabilities in Prince William Sound.

During her sea trials, the AWARE generated a certified bollard pull of 305,000 pounds and a free running speed in excess of 16 knots. The PRTs are powered by twin Caterpillar 3612B engines generating the combined 10,192 horsepower driving two Kamewa Aquamaster azimuthing thrusters. They are also equipped for firefighting, emergency response and oil spill recovery equipment.

“These tugs hold a very important role in oil spill prevention in Prince William Sound,” said Tom Crowley, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation, CMS’s parent company. “We look forward to maintaining a positive working relationship with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company and are committed to providing the highest quality new vessels to the Alyeska/SERVS fleet along with the highest level of customer service.”

The three PRTs were designed by Seattle-based Guido Perla and Associates and built at Dakota Creek Shipyard in Anacortes, Wash., for Vessel Management Services, a Crowley Maritime Corporation subsidiary that owns and leases vessels. The vessels have oil spill recovery and storage capability for up to 43,000 gallons of recovered oil. Design features include accommodations for up to 16 personnel, Schuyler fendering, a Markey TDS-40 towing winch, Step Warmfloor ™ heated decking, 3,000 feet of oil recovery boom, and on-deck stowage for two oil spill recovery skiffs.

Crowley Marine Services, Inc., with U.S. West Coast operating headquarters in Seattle and East Coast and International headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla., provides specialized marine transportation and logistics services on a worldwide basis, operating one of the world’s largest fleets of marine and related equipment. The company’s primary services include tanker escort and ship assist; petroleum transportation and sales; contract barge transportation and ocean towing; logistics and support services; marine salvage and emergency response; and all-terrain transportation.