Official websites use .mil
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
Merchant tanker Empire State, the first ship scheduled to defuel the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, approaches Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oct. 11, 2023, off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Joint Task Force-Red Hill is in phase four of its five-phase defueling plan where personnel are focused on completion of pre-defueling material assessments, continued training and rehearsals, routine maintenance actions, and quality assurance and safety checks. This is the final preparatory stage prior to commencement of gravity defueling Oct. 16 and marks completion of the last defueling requirement by the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, and Hawaii Department of Health. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Linzmeier)