Unalaska, AK – Yesterday, the 738-foot cargo ship Golden Seas was successfully towed into the Port of Dutch Harbor, four days after issuing a distress call. Now, the state of Alaska and conservation groups alike are reconsidering emergency preparedness in the Aleutian Islands.

On Friday, the Golden Seas lost power and went adrift while 70 miles north of Adak. There was initial concern that the vessel, which was carrying approximately half a million gallons of fuel and oil, could run aground and cause a spill within 36 hours of the turbocharger failure. Though the Golden Seas ultimately regained partial power, an ocean-going tug was still needed to assist the vessel and tow it to a port of refuge. The icebreaker Tor Viking had been moored in Unalaska, and was able to reach the Golden Seas within a day.

But usually, there aren't any ocean-going tugs in Unalaska. The Tor Viking was in Unalaska under contract with Shell Oil, which is preparing for exploratory drilling in the Beaufort Sea. No dedicated rescue tugs are stationed in the Aleutians region. There is one rescue tug available in Cook Inlet on standby for tankers, and there are a few in Prince William Sound. These could take a week to get to a distressed vessel near Adak or Atka, says Leslie Pearson, a member of the Aleutian Islands Risk Assessment facilitation team.

"Your third option is Seattle, and you've got 10 to 12 days before they can even get to the location," says Pearson. "Typically, when a situation like this occurs, you don't have the luxury of time."

Lack of rescue tugs have been a consistent problem in the region. In 2004, the vessel Selendang Ayu went aground and caused an oil spill partially because the tugs available were not powerful enough to prevent it from running aground. Gary Folley is the on-scene coordinator for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and he says that the Golden Seas could have been even worse and might have substantially affected the area's fisheries.

"Had the vessel grounded and spilled its fuel oil, we would be facing a very difficult clean-up," says Folley. "Even, I think, more so than the Selendang Ayu because area was a bit more remote."

Right now, the Aleutian Islands Risk Assessment team is drafting a report on emergency response. The risk assessment is part of a cooperative effort between the state, the Coast Guard, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and their goal is to reduce the number of accidents in the Aleutians and minimize the damage that these accidents could cause.

Right now, the team is considering the possibility of maintaining a dedicated rescue tug in the Aleutians on a permanent or seasonal basis. They are also looking at the possibility of stationing an all-purpose tug in the region that could be used in case of emergencies.

The problem, says Folley, is finding the resources to do this.

"I think just about everyone would agree that it would be nice to have a rescue tug," says Folley. "But the question is how is it going to be funded?"

According to a traffic study report by the Aleutian Islands Risk Assessment project, over 2,000 vessels that carry over 10,000 gallons of oil pass through the region on annual basis. That number will likely only increase says Shawna Larson, who works with the non-profit Pacific Environment.

"Because climate change is happening so rapidly, everyone is talking about how shipping will be ramping up in Arctic waters," says Larson.

A new Aleutian Islands Risk Assessment report that considers the lack of ocean-going tugs in the region should be forthcoming in the spring, says Folley.

In the meantime, the cargo vessel Golden Seas is undergoing repairs in Unalaska. It is expected to depart for the United Arab Emirates by the end of the week, where it will deliver a shipment of rapeseed.