THIS IS A DRILL
THIS IS A DRILL
THIS IS A DRILL
THIS IS A DRILL
THIS IS A DRILL
FAQs
2026 Knowles Head Exercise
May 12, 2026
Q: What happened?
A: At approximately 3:30 a.m. today, the tanker T/V Western Sea was involved in a collision
while anchored in Prince William Sound, in the vicinity of Knowles Head, causing a spill of crude
oil to water. Response personnel are still determining the spill volume.
Q: How much oil has been spilled?
A: The exact spill volume is unknown. The volume capacity of the two damaged cargo tanks is
5.88 million gallons. At departure from the Valdez Marine Terminal there were approximately 31
million gallons onboard.
Q: Who is in charge of the response?
A: A Unified Command, consisting of U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation, and Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, was established at the Valdez
Emergency Operations Center, to facilitate the response.
Q: Were there any injuries?
A: There are no known injuries as a result of this incident,
Q: Have there been any impacts to wildlife?
A: There are no reports of impacted wildlife.
Q: How many people are involved in the response?
A: 315 personnel are responding to the incident, in the field and at the incident command post.
Q: Are there any response resources in place at this time?
A: Four response barges are on scene and have deployed boom and skimmers and started
recovery work. Additional resources are enroute to the scene, including sensitive area
protection for the Knowles Bay area.
Q: Are there any limitations to travel in the area?
A: The U.S. Coast Guard has established a 2-mile safety zone around the incident area. A
Temporary Flight Restriction is in place at the incident scene of a 1-mile radius to 5,000 feet.
Q: Is the pipeline still operational?
A: The Trans Alaska Pipeline System remains operational.
Q: What do I do if I have a claim?
A: A claims number is established: 1-877-257-5778 Prompt 4 Prompt 5.
Q: Where can I find the latest information about the spill?
A: Visit www.crisispigeondemo.com for the latest information on spill response efforts.
Fishing vessels and response FAQs
May 13, 2026
Q: What is the SERVS Fishing Vessel Program?
A: The Fishing Vessel Program, also called the Vessel of Opportunity Program, is a unique program managed by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company through the Ship Escort/Response Vessel System (SERVS). Alyeska contracts with about 350 vessels around Southcentral Alaska to provide oil spill response support.
Q: Where are the boats from?
A: Vessels come from six home-base ports; Valdez, Cordova, Whittier, Kodiak, Seward, and Homer.
Q: How did the program start?
The program started in 1990 to employ local residents in oil spill response, especially those working in the fishing industry. The boats and their crews are an integral part of Alyeska’s response readiness.
Q: How are vessel crews trained?
A: Every year, participating vessels complete rigorous training that lasts several days. Crews spend time learning oil spill and emergency response basics. They complete on-water, hands-on training and learn to operate skimmers, deploy boom, recover spilled product, and protect sensitive shorelines. Many vessels participate in additional drills and exercises throughout the year to ensure they are prepared to respond in case of an incident.
Q: How would fishing vessels work in a response?
A: In a marine oil spill response, fishing vessels assist with open water recovery in the thickest oil, nearshore protection, and wildlife capture and hazing. Some may also provide safety and logistical support.
Q: What if there aren’t enough fishing vessels trained for an active response? A: If needed, SERVS has a plan to quickly recruit and train additional fishing vessels and crew to support an ongoing incident.
Learn more about SERVS, the Fishing Vessel Program and more at https://alyeska-pipe.com/servs-ship-escort-response-vessel-system/.