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BRUCE ASATO / BASATO@STARADVERTISER.COM
The Judy K, a fishing boat that was apparently abandoned, initially sank Jan. 11 and remained half-submerged Saturday at Pier 16 in Honolulu Harbor.
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Two months after a 77-foot fishing boat sank and spilled an estimated 150 gallons of diesel fuel into Honolulu Harbor, the vessel remains half-submerged and blocking one side of Pier 16.
The owner is believed to be dead, so the state has been left to deal with the sunken boat. But bids to remove the Judy K came in much higher than expected, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The agency is exploring other salvage options, including working with other agencies.
The fishing boat, apparently abandoned, initially sank Jan. 11 with no fishing gear aboard and not much fuel.
While small amounts of residual fuel have continued to leak since the initial spill, officials said, the vessel has been surrounded by a 150-foot containment boom and absorbent pads that have been capturing the fuel.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer 3rd Class Melissa McKenzie said the boom and absorbent pads are monitored by the agency daily.
The Judy K, built in 1979 with a gross tonnage of 83 tons, is listed as belonging to a company known as Sapphire USA Inc. But the company’s business registration has been expired since 1999, according to state records.
McKenzie said the Coast Guard has opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund with coverage for response efforts of up to $75,000. The U.S. government started the trust fund after the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in 1989.
