The Campbell
Foss, one of two Foss Maritime hybrid energy tugboats operating at the Port
of Long Beach, suffered a machinery fire shortly after completing a ship assist
in the harbor earlier this week.
The fire, which is believed
to have started in or near the engine room, occurred around 3:30 pm Aug. 20. According
to Foss, the blaze was extinguished by the activation of the vessel’s onboard fire
suppression system. The Long Beach Fire Dept. also responded to the incident.
Although there were no major
injuries, one crewmember was treated for smoke inhalation, according to Foss.
Foss says cause of the fire
is not yet known but that an investigation, which is being conducted in conjunction
with personnel from Long Beach Fire and the US Coast Guard, is underway. The company
says the Campbell Foss is expected to remain out of service until the investigation
is complete, the vessel has been repaired and corrective actions have been taken
to prevent a reoccurrence.
The Campbell
Foss, which was originally built as a conventionally powered 78-foot by
34-foot Dolphin-class tug is powered by diesel engines and electric motors. The
280-ton tug was retrofitted in 2011 with 10 lithium batteries to help power the
boat while it’s idling and traveling from job to job without tows. It was the first
Foss tug to have undergone the conversion process.
Another of the company’s
tugs, the Dolphin-class Carolyn Dorothy, which also operates
at the Port of Long Beach, became Foss’ first purpose-built hybrid in 2009. The
Carolyn
Dorothy is currently out of service due to scheduled maintenance, but is
expected to be back in service by November.
