Anchorage, AK. - The crew of the Cougar Ace and the sea going tug Sea Victory are making final preparations to tow the fully righted ship from Wide Bay near Unalaska Island today. This development comes following several weeks of work by salvage crews to right the vessel, re-secure the cargo and clean the interior to make it habitable again. The Coast Guard and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines have developed plans to tow the vessel to Portland, Ore.

Unalaska inspectors have verified all of the general safety items were found to be in accordance with the riding plan and tow plans that have been developed. Welding reinforcement of bulwarks and rigging of an emergency tow line has been completed.

Two individual plans to tow the vessel were developed. One plan covers the open-ocean tow, the other the Columbia River to Portland portion. The Crowley Marine tug Sea Victory, which successfully towed the Cougar Ace from the open ocean to Wide Bay, will be conducting the tow to Portland with the tug Gladiator as an escort.  Upon reaching the Columbia River marine pilots from the Columbia River Marine Pilots Association will come aboard to assist in the safe transit to Portland. The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary will be assisting as well.  The total transit time from Wide Bay to Portland is estimated to be 10 days.

Captain Mark DeVries, Captain of the Port for Western Alaska and Commander of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage, has said that the vessel is stable and safe for transit. Coast Guard inspectors have made thorough surveys of the ship.  "The Cougar Ace has been properly ballasted and we have checked and secured all ballast tanks," he said. "We have adjusted the ballast to put the vessel within its established stability criteria. No additional ballast transfers will be conducted until the vessel reaches Portland and the Coast Guard and the Class Society can fully inspect the ballast system to certify that it is working properly and can again be used."

The Cougar Ace, a 654-foot Singapore flagged car carrier, sailed from Japan on July 22 with a load of 4,813 cars. The vessel was en route to two ports along the West Coast of Canada and the United States. The vessel encountered difficulty during a ballast exchange on July 24 about 230 miles south of the Aleutian Island chain in international waters. The vessel sustained a 60 degree list within a few minutes.

The Coast Guard Cutter Rush, a 378-foot cutter from Hawaii, was determined to be the closest Coast Guard asset. It was diverted immediately however, the Cougar Ace was still a 20 hour transit away. Coast Guard C-130s from Air Station Kodiak were the first on scene followed soon after by Coast Guard helicopters and Alaska Air National Guard helicopters with pararescue teams aboard. Upon arrival they hoisted the crew from the Cougar Ace. The crew was delivered safely to Adak and eventually returned to their homes in Asia.

Salvage crews attempted to right the vessel at sea but weather conditions and the large swells common to the Pacific Ocean forced a change of venue to the sheltered waters of Wide Bay. The crews proceeded to hook onto the enormous ship laden with cars and tow it through Samalga Pass and into the Bering Sea to Wide Bay on the north side of Unalaska Island. Following the necessary surveys, salvage crews worked steadily to dewater the number nine cargo deck and add water to the appropriate ballast tanks to right the vessel. They ship was kept at a 10 degree list for several days to facilitate cleaning before it was finally righted completely on Monday. Crews re-secured all the cargo, mostly Mazda brand vehicles. Only 41 of the 4,813 cars were found to have shifted.

On Monday vessel stores were supplied and loaded for transit, and rigging and reinforcement of the tow arrangement continued. Inspections of the vessel located a minor amount flood water in some of the vessel's piping due to downflooding through vent piping when the vessel was still healed over. The flood water was pumped to tanks aboard the Magone Marine barge Kashega. The tailshaft was locked in place as was the rudder post. Testing of the watertight integrity of the cargo doors was completed and found to be satisfactory.  No pollution has been reported from the vessel in Wide Bay.

The Coast Guard in Alaska will continue to monitor the transit of the vessel until it reaches Puget Sound and the Columbia River where Coast Guard District 13 assets will take up the work and escort the vessel to Portland.