The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention & Response (CDFW-OSPR) has settled violations stemming from a January 2021 incident in which the anchors of two vessels impacted an offshore oil pipeline, which later ruptured and discharged nearly 25,000 gallons of crude oil that impacted Orange County beaches.
CDFW OSPR issued an administrative complaint against the owners and operators of the BEIJING and the MSC DANIT, alleging that, during a severe storm on January 25, 2021, each vessel’s anchor fouled on a crude oil pipeline for several hours before freeing itself. The pipeline connects an offshore platform located off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to an onshore facility. California law requires large “disabled” vessels to report such a condition to the U.S. Coast Guard and to report oil spill threats to the Office of Emergency Services.
Early notification is a key safety measure. It provides commercial operators and response agencies with the opportunity to evaluate potential concerns, conduct timely inspections when needed, and take proactive steps to protect the environment and coastal communities.
A subsequent National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that both anchors struck the pipeline during the storm occurred in the vicinity of the pipeline that later failed (NTSB MIR 24-01 Anchor Strike of Underwater Pipeline and Eventual Crude Oil Release).
The settlements allow all involved parties to move forward with a shared focus on enhancing safety and strengthening marine environmental protections. As part of the settlements, CDFW-OSPR received a combined $150,000 in administrative penalties. These funds will directly support habitat enhancement projects across California, contributing to healthier ecosystems and long-term resource stewardship.
An additional $50,000 was provided to the Marine Exchange of Southern California for the acquisition and installation of an Automatic Identification System (AIS) send/receive unit, which will automatically track incoming and outgoing vessels. This upgraded AIS capability will be integrated into the existing vessel traffic service system for the Los Angeles/Long Beach region. Enhanced AIS coverage will improve offshore visibility, support safer navigation, and provide meaningful benefits to the maritime community through better situational awareness and more effective coordination during periods of severe weather.
CDFW-OSPR remains committed to working in partnership with maritime stakeholders, government agencies, and local communities to advance marine safety and protect California’s coastal environment.
Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodation to participate in public meetings or other CDFW activities are invited to contact CDFW's Accessibility Coordinator in the CRO Office at (916) 902-5577, or send an email to CivilRights@wildlife.ca.gov. Reasonable Accommodation requests for facility and/or meeting accessibility should be received at least 21 days prior to the event. Requests for American Sign Language Interpreters should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event, and requests for Real-Time Captioning at least four weeks prior to the event. These timeframes are to help ensure that the requested accommodation is met. If a request for an accommodation has been submitted but due to circumstances is no longer needed, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator immediately.
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Media Contacts:
Eric Laughlin, CDFW-OSPR Communications, (916) 214-3279
Ryan Todd, CDFW-OSPR Legal Branch, (916) 698-0036