Port Westward Beaver Dock Damage Update

COLUMBIA CITY, Ore. – Nov. 29, 2023 – On Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023, a barge (unaffiliated with the Port of Columbia County) traveling up the Columbia River navigated off course and collided with the downstream approach of the Beaver Dock at Port Westward.

The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies were immediately notified and onsite. The collision destroyed approximately 100 feet of the downstream approach, severing the connection between the dock and land. One 14-inch pipeline used to load renewable diesel was damaged, and immediate action was taken to prevent product release into the river. There were no injuries, and the collision did not rupture the fuel pipeline.

An Incident Command System was immediately mobilized until the threat was secured on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. The U.S. Coast Guard, Clean Rivers Cooperative, Port tenant and On-Scene Coordinator Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery, the Port of Columbia County, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Washington State Department of Ecology all worked together to reach a safe and successful conclusion.  

The Port has led the way in applying for necessary permits to remove debris and damaged sections of the dock from the river. New pipe supports for the pipeline will be installed upstream of the original footprint to support temporary replacement pipelines and other infrastructure, allowing commercial operations to safely resume in early 2024. The Port is working with an engineer to assess the full extent of the damage and begin necessary repairs to get the dock back in full operation as soon as possible.

###

About the Port of Columbia County
The Port of Columbia County is a special district along the Columbia River in northwest Oregon. The Port’s mission is to foster local economic development opportunities to create and sustain jobs while maintaining the environmental assets of the Port district. The Port offers a variety of sites for industrial lease and development in its 2,400-acre portfolio. More information at www.portofcolumbiacounty.org.