Removal of remains of ship wrecked off Oregon coast delayed

SALEM, Ore. — Removal of the remaining wreckage of the ship New Carissa from the beach at Coos Bay has been put off another year, the state said today. Oregon officials had hoped to see the wreckage gone by fall.

But Department of State Lands Director Louise Soliday said there is not enough time to finish negotiations with salvage contractor Titan Maritime Co. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the owners of the New Carissa, Green Atlas Shipping Co., before the end of the summer period when tides and weather make removal possible.

Though some in Coos County feel the money Green Atlas agreed to pay the state for removal could be better used for other projects, the state has maintained it must keep the coastline pristine.

"Oregon has sent a strong message to the world that we will protect our state's beautiful coastline," Gov. Ted Kulongoski said in a statement.

The 660-foot wood chip freighter ran aground on the North Spit near the entrance to Coos Bay in February 1999. Efforts to tow it free and burn off its engine fuel broke the ship in half, spilling fuel oil that contaminated the beach and oyster beds in the bay.

The bow was eventually towed to sea and scuttled with a Navy torpedo. But remains of the stern remained mired deep in the sand at the water's edge.

A Coos County jury found the ship owners guilty of negligent trespass, and the ship owners eventually settled with the state, agreeing to pay $22.1 million for removal.

Plans call for bringing in work platforms that anchor in the sand, then using huge hydraulic jacks to pull the stern section out of the sand.