The return of the 22-year-old icebreaker MSV Fennica to Dutch Harbor with hull damage curtailed its trip to the Arctic and has the potential to delay once again the oil giant Shell’s 2015 drilling plans.

As the vessel was barely underway from the Aleutian Island port, a certified Alaska Marine Harbor Pilot and crew-members discovered an almost 40-inch gash in the hull of the vessel compromising one of its ballast tanks. Upon discovery, the icebreaker immediately turned around from its intended trip to the Chukchi Sea, and headed back to Dutch Harbor.

Depending on the severity of the damage to the Fennica’s hull, this newest setback may affect Shell’s drilling plans once again. Curtis Smith, spokesman for Shell stated that he does not believe that the discovered damage will cause any delay, but said, “any impact to our season will ultimately depend on the extent of the damage.”

It is currently unknown if the hull damage can be repaired in Dutch Harbor, or if the vessel, that carries a critical piece of equipment for the drilling operation, will have to backtrack to a drydock to have repair work done. The Fennica carries the capping stack that would be placed over a damaged well in case of a blowout.

Although the Fennica is only one of a 29-vessel armada that includes another ice-breaker, if it is damaged to the point that it is pulled from the fleet, an new ice-breaker will have to be employed and the emergency equipment that it carries along with its A-frame will have to be moved to that replacement vessel and re-authorization will have to be sought from the Interior Department to amend the current government-approved exploration plan.

It is unknown what caused the gash to the vessel’s hull as it travelled through charted water just outside of Dutch Harbor. As a result of the discovery, NOAA will be dispatching a vessel to the area to rechart the seafloor in the area to search for a possibly uncharted obstacle.

Environmental groups were quick to voice fresh concerns. “In just a few days, Shell wants to start drilling for oil in one of the most delicate ecosystems on earth,” said Greenpeace USA spokesman Travis Nichols. “The company clearly hasn’t improved its operations from its nearly catastrophic 2012 attempt to drill in Alaska and so we can expect news like this to continue to come in until the Obama administration finally stops this doomed project from going forward. ”

Curtis Smith called this newest incident “an unfortunate potential setback,” and said that the about the development, “in no way does it characterize the preparations we have made to operate exceptionally well.”

Shell is still awaiting a drilling permit to drill a new exploratory well in the Burger Prospect.

  burger prospect, drilling plans, dutch harbor, emergency equipment, fennica, gash, hull damage, icebreaker, shell