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Kalama port identifies vessel responsible for marina damage, releases video

By Katie Fairbanks, The Daily News
Published: April 15, 2020, 8:40am

LONGVIEW — Port of Kalama officials Tuesday identified the cargo vessel responsible for more than $1 million in damage to its marina and boats moored there, saying the vessel sailed up the Columbia River at an excessive speed.

After reviewing security video and cargo vessel tracking information, the port identified container ship SM Mumbai as the suspect vessel. The tracking system recorded the ship going more than 15 knots, or about 17.3 mph, said Liz Newman, port marketing and communications manager.

There is no set speed limit on the river, but vessel operators must comply with federal regulations that say the speed must be safe in light of surrounding circumstances, Newman said. Maritime law dealing with collisions is the same as for vessels causing wake damage, she said.

The SM Mumbai is a Liberian-flagged container ship built in 2009. It is about 853 feet long by 106 feet wide, according to ship tracking website MarineTraffic. The Columbia River ship channel is 600 feet wide.

The SM Mumbai was about 100 miles west of the mouth of the Columbia River as of mid-afternoon Tuesday on its way to South Korea, according to MarineTraffic. It left Portland at about 7:30 Monday night.

All cargo ships sailing the Columbia River must have a contacted pilot aboard, but the name of the pilot was not available Tuesday.

The port reported the incident to the Coast Guard, which will decide what investigation to pursue. The Coast Guard couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. The port’s investigation of the incident is ongoing.

The marina is sheltered from the Columbia River by a breakwater jetty, but the ship caused a swell and suction of the water which affected the marina, according to the port.

Marina patrons can direct questions and insurance agents to attorney James McCurdy of Lindsay Hart who is representing the vessel operator at jmccurdy@lindsayhart.com.

The marina opened in the late 1970s. Newman said as far as she knows the port has never experienced anything like this situation or had damage of this magnitude there.

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