Ship rams dock, barge at Wauna

A cargo vessel carrying logs struck a pier and two barges and damaged a building at the Wauna Georgia Pacific paper mill Friday evening.

The motor vessel Susaki Wing out of Panama struck the pier at approximately 5:53 p.m. after losing propulsion. The ship was headed down stream. It dropped its anchor and swiveled around and was pointed upstream after the collision.

No pollution or injuries were reported, but one of the barges was pushed to shore by tugboat after paper mill staff determined it might sink.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River in Astoria dispatched an MH-60 helicopter crew and a 25-foot response boat crew to the scene. The Clatsop County River Patrol and local EMS and fire crews were also on scene.

Because of debris on the river, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port closed the area to deep draft vessels, but the waterway otherwise remained open. The river was reopened to maritime traffic at approximately 12 p.m., Saturday.

The cause of the propulsion loss is unknown and will be investigated by Coast Guard vessel inspectors. The ship was towed to anchorage at Portland for inspection of the main engine, steering systems and hull damage prior to vessel departure.

Mill workers said the collision tore out a section of dock used for loading barges with products from the mill. Those products will have to be shipped by truck until the dock is repaired.

On the Web:

US Coast Guard video: http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2--itemId=1213505