In the Field
SERVS fishing vessel program

Protecting the waters of Prince William Sound requires a coordinated effort by Alyeska’s Ship Escort Response Vessel System (SERVS), state and federal government agencies, and local communities. To improve the working relationships between these groups, Alyeska routinely conducts training exercises to strengthen the ability to respond to incidents and to test teams on a range of possible scenarios. Recently, SERVS conducted a three-day marine training course for fisherman around the sound to test response equipment and personnel.

The fishing vessel crews are an important element of the oil spill response strategy for SERVS. They provide critical local knowledge, talent and resources to response preparedness.

The training program reaches more than 1,000 crewmembers in Valdez, Cordova, Chenega, Whittier, Seward, Homer and Kodiak. In the event of an on-water incident, the crews of the 350 vessels under contract are trained to respond.

The three-day course includes classroom instruction, hands-on experience with equipment, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training, and on-water exercises. Participants learn about response tactics and practice preparedness plans to ensure readiness.