Farewell Teresa

By Daniel Katzive

A number of readers of our recent WSR article The Barges (and Other Big Boats) in Your Backyard expressed interest in the solitary tug and barge that had been anchored in the Hudson at 94th Street for an unusually long period. It seems a number of residents of the West Side had been noticing this vessel and were well aware that its extended residence was unusual.

Many will likely have noticed as well that the tug/barge combination has now departed, weighing anchor and heading out of town this past Saturday. A review of legal filings and vessel tracking data allows us to shed some light on the saga of the tug, which is named Teresa, and its paired barge, the Acadia.

Court filings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) obtained from the tracking service VesselFinder tell us that Teresa arrived in the New York Harbor area in late October with a load of asphalt from Curaçao in the Caribbean. Asphalt was unloaded in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and the tug pushed its barge up to Albany to unload more, before traveling to a Brooklyn dry dock for repairs.

At that point, according to court filings, the Teresa and Acadia were caught up in a legal dispute between the vessels’ owner, Unico Commodities, and a provider of fuel. The fuel provider had brought action against Unico over an unpaid bill and the tug and barge were “arrested” as security on this claim on December 10. Other creditors of Unico subsequently “intervened” to join this action and secure their own claims.

On December 14, by mutual agreement, the master of Teresa (i.e., the captain) was named the custodian of the vessels while the vessels remained under arrest. The master was authorized to move the vessel within the District and to comply with orders of the Coast Guard and port authorities.

AIS data shows the vessel initially anchored in the harbor off Brooklyn, but then moved to the Hudson on January 21, where she remained as the case moved through the courts, departing only occasionally for refueling, until finally leaving this past weekend. In response to our questions back in March, Coast Guard Sector New York emailed us “Coast Guard Sector New York assessed that the Hudson River was the safest location for the tug to remain anchored until the operational issues are resolved. The Coast Guard has periodically visited the tug to ensure [it] maintains all safety standards and does not pose a safety threat to the harbor.”

How was the case resolved? Court filings indicate Unico arranged for the sale of the Teresa and Acadia and the District Court on February 17 ordered the sale completed and the proceeds held by the Registry of the Court, ultimately to be disbursed in part to satisfy claims. On April 5, the sale was completed, clearing the way for her departure.

So what happens next for Teresa? Will we see her again on the Hudson? Some readers noted in response to our original article that the Teresa was registered (or flagged) in Liberia. This is indeed unusual for a tugboat working in New York Harbor.  A 100-year-old law known as the Jones Act requires that cargos moving between US ports be carried on US flagged vessels. For this reason, most of the tugs we see here, which are typically moving barges between New York, Albany and New England, are US flagged. As we saw already, the Teresa was involved in a different type of business, and had been transporting asphalt from the Caribbean to US ports before her arrest, making her a less frequent visitor here. It is possible though that the new owners will reflag the vessel, in which case we may see her more often, though perhaps with a new name as well.

As of Tuesday evening, Teresa is currently off the coast of Florida according to VesselFinder. Court filings indicate the barge still had some asphalt on board during its time here, which may need to be delivered now before Teresa begins new duties.

With Teresa’s departure, the Hudson River anchorages have been empty again for the first time in several months. Some readers may welcome the emptier vista, but others seem to have grown attached to the Teresa. West Side Rag reader and river watcher Lynn Underwood wrote on the day of departure, “There is now a huge blank spot in the river. Tonight there will be just an expanse of darkness. I feel bereft.”

Whatever one’s views, no doubt readers will join in wishing her captain and crew a safe onward journey.