JUNEAU, Alaska - Cleanup and removal operations at the site of the wrecked Selendang Ayu are complete.  The 738-foot freighter ran aground and broke in two on Dec. 8, 2004, just off shore of Spray Cape, Unalaska Island, Alaska, spilling a cargo of soybeans and approximately 336,000 gallons of intermediate fuel oil and diesel oil. 

The Unified Command has determined that the cleanup is complete.  There is no further sign of oil from the bow or stern sections.  The last known release occurred in October 2005 when an early winter storm moved the stern.  No sheen has been noted during almost a continuous presence on scene since late May.  The bow section position was confirmed by divers this week.  It did not move during the winter. 

Coast Guard Capt. Mark Devries, the Federal on Scene Coordinator said, "The threat to public health or the environment by any remaining oil is minimized to the point that further removal operations would cause more environmental harm than the very small amount of oil remaining.  It is now time to allow the same natural forces that man was unable to overcome when we attempted to keep the Selendang Ayu off the shore, to complete the process of restoring what man cannot do by machine and manual effort alone." 

"Many dedicated spill responders, scientists, and salvage experts from the State, Federal, and private sectors pulled together in the harsh Aleutian Islands environment to make the response a success.  As the State On-scene Coordinator for the response, I am particularly grateful to the Unalaska community, not only for the hospitality shown to our responders, but also for the local knowledge and expertise that community members brought to the response," said Gary Folley with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.  

During cleanup operations, 476 miles of shoreline was inspected for oil impact.  At the peak of cleanup operations more than 200 shoreline workers, 23 vessels and three aircraft were involved in removing the oil from approximately 37 miles of impacted shoreline.  Response operations began immediately following the grounding of the Selendang Ayu in December 2004 and continued into February with removal of the oil still in the ships tanks, protective booming of shoreline that had not been oiled and the start of shoreline cleanup.  Operations resumed again in April 2005 and continued until weather forced a temporary hold on operations at the end of September.  Cleanup of the last three and a half miles of shoreline was completed when operations that started again this May concluded this week.

Selendang Ayu officials stated, "The men and women of Unalaska will forever be in our hearts and minds.  On that first stormy night, they opened their arms and homes to receive our battered and exhausted crew. They supported us as we mourned the tragic loss of our six brave officers who stayed behind to try to save their ship during the heroic U.S. Coast Guard rescue. Their patience and support during the arduous task of the clean up response was exemplary. There can be no finer community and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  To the people of Alaska who watched our horror from outside Unalaska or who contributed to the response, we thank you. 

To the U.S. Coast Guard whose young men and women risked so much, in the early days, with whom we have worked nearly every day for the past year and a half and who work tirelessly protecting the men and women who go to sea and our shorelines in so many ways, you have our deepest respect and gratitude. 

To the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, you have helped us to understand this special State and guided us during the long and frequently dangerous and challenging response.  Thank you. 

Finally, to all the men and women who have directly and indirectly worked on the response, we deeply appreciate your hard work, commitment, intelligence, strategies, equipment and hospitality.  You stood ably by us, thank you.  In December, 2004, we lost six brave colleagues in a tragic accident.  Their memories will always be with us. We were welcomed into a community and showed care and support that will also be with us forever.  We are very sorry the accident occurred.  We hope the ultimate legacy of the accident will be safer seas for everyone."