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По такому поводу перед кратким пересказом приведу и англоязычный оригинал:



http://www.ktuu.com/…9589.story


Russian Tanker Renda Within Miles of Nome .

10:27 p.m. AKST, January 12, 2012

Excitement builds as the Russian tanker, Renda, approached Nome on Thursday night.

Vitus Marine LLC, the company that's coordinating the Renda's fuel delivery, says pilots that flew over the Renda and its escort tonight, estimated that the tanker and its escort, the Coast Guard Cutter Healy, were about 18 miles from Nome.

Mark Smith, CEO of Vitus Marine, is in Nome preparing for the Renda's arrival. The tanker is expected to offload about 1.3 million gallons of fuel, a process that Smith says could take a number of days.

"After making no progress for a couple of days, everyone was in ebullient spirits," said Smith. "We're virtually on the doorstep of Nome and everyone is very excited."

Smith says the Renda traveled more than fifty miles on Thursday in its final approach to Nome. The tanker, however, won't immediately make a push to shore.

Smith says the Healy won't be able to navigate the shallow waters close to shore, which means the Renda must proceed alone and care must be taken to make sure the tanker is positioned safely, so it can offload its fuel.

"There are a variety of concerns about the Renda coming in on the ice, and what we want to do is make sure that we have a safe path in -- a stable place to do the transfer," said Smith.

Plans also must be made for the Renda's departure.

"After the transfer is complete, the Healy will escort it out of the ice," says Smith. "I expect they'll part company somewhere around the Pribilof Islands."

During the transfer, the Coast Guard will restrict public access. It's staked off a 50-foot safety zone around the fuel hoses, as well as a 100-foot area around the tanker.

Smith says it's yet to be determined whether one or two hoses will be used to offload the fuel -- and how far they'll have to run across the ice.

"It's not unusual for a 4 inch line to deliver about 35,000 gallons of fuel an hour," said Smith, who described the Renda's journey as full of heart-stopping moments.

"I think a lot of us thought going through the ice was just going to be an icebreaker going ahead, with the Renda following along like a puppy. But the truth, is, it's a very complicated exercise. The current and the wind and how that affects the ice has been quite dramatic," said Smith.

But one of the biggest dramas has yet to unfold, the first winter delivery of fuel to an Alaska community that's locked in by ice.

"There's a lot of excitement here in Nome," said Smith.

Tomorrow we should see the ship on the horizon and we should see the shop docked on the ice by tomorrow afternoon."

Весь Ном в возбуждении в ожидании прибытии российского танкера "Ренда" в Ном на Аляске. Ему в сопровождении единственного в этом регионе ледокола береговой охраны осталось пробиться последние 18 миль.

Предыстория вопроса простая: северный завоз горючего на барже осенью сорвался из-за шторма. Городу с 3-тысячным населением не было никаких шансов дотянуть до весны. Местные власти задумались доставлять соляру (мазут?) на самолетах, но их остановила неподъемная цена. Наконец они смогли зафрахтовать российский танкер, который везет 1.3 млн галлонов соляры (или мазута?).

Техническая тонкость в том, что у берега мелковато и ледокол не сможет пробить канал в собственно замерзший порт. Но у городских властей есть два длинных 4-дюймовые шланга, и в лучших традициях советского комсомольско-производcтвенного кино их протянут по льду на танкер. Один шланг позволяет откачать до 35 тыс галлонов в час.

Возбужденных местных аборигенов оградят от доступа к шлангам в пределаx 50 футов и доступа к танкеру в пределах 100 футов.

Завтра танкер должен показаться на горизонте и пополудни встать у пакового льда.

И в конце еще раз: "Весь Ном в диком возбуждении".

Точка.