The long and strange saga of the derelict cruise ship M/V Aurora has come due, as the Stockton City Council this week approved more than $8.2 million for the salvage and disposal. 

The payment caps one of the most complex and costly environmental cleanups in recent Stockton history, but may not be the city’s final chapter. Who was at fault in abandoning the ship and who else – if anyone – might be held responsible for the cleanup costs is still an open question. 

The 297-foot vessel, which had been abandoned and moored in Little Potato Slough for several years, sank near the end of Eight Mile Road in May 2024, spilling diesel fuel, oil, and other pollutants into a key section of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. 

The location was less than a mile upstream from Stockton’s Delta Water Supply Project Intake Pump Station, the source of the water supplied to nearly 200,000 residents daily.

Special report: See the Aurora as it was moored near Stockton, in virtual reality

Municipal Utilities Director Mel Lytle said the Aurora had been “illegally parked for a couple of years,” and when it went under, it set off an emergency response that stretched across state and federal agencies.

The emergency resolution passed Tuesday outlines the full cost of the salvage operation, totaling $8,290,874.96. The bulk of that — nearly $7.9 million — went to Lind Marine of Vallejo and its subcontractors, who were tapped to remove and dismantle the contaminated vessel after a formal transfer of responsibility from the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Additional costs covered environmental liability insurance, a marine survey, and emergency equipment needed to keep the vessel afloat during salvage preparations. Even the months spent waiting to tow the ship came at a cost. Documents obtained by Stocktonia show the city spent more than $165,000 on round-the-clock security at the site.

According to city documents, the city’s water fund absorbed the costs without drawing from reserves. A nearly $1 million grant from the California State Lands Commission’s Derelict Vessel Program offset part of the total.

But the city was unsuccessful in seeking other funds to defray the expense. A staff presentation noted that Stockton applied for grants from a Boat US foundation, the state Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the state EPA and the National Pollution Funds Center. None of those agencies provided assistance. 

Environmental hazard near city’s intake station

Built in Germany in 1955 and later used as a cruise ship, the M/V Aurora had sat deteriorating near Herman and Helen’s Marina for years. When it sank, the vessel contained hazardous material including asbestos, lead, hexavalent chromium, and other toxins, city officials said.

Shortly after the sinking, the city’s Municipal Utilities Department (MUD) shut down its intake pump station to avoid contamination. The U.S. Coast Guard, operating under the Federal Oil Spill Trust Fund, initially led a cleanup that removed more than 22,000 gallons of oily water and 3,100 gallons of household hazardous waste. But as the vessel continued to degrade, city officials said it became clear that only a full removal could ensure long-term protection of the waterway.

On June 27, 2024, then-City Manager Harry Black authorized emergency spending to solve the problem, citing an immediate threat to public health and safety. Stockton’s procurement rules allow for no-bid contracts in such emergency situations. The ship was finally towed from the site in December. 

“The critical thing is to remove the assets so that we won’t continue to contaminate the waterway,” Lytle said in his presentation Tuesday.

Council reaction: ‘A big mess’

The incident drew frustration from councilmembers, who were briefed on the months-long operation that included hazardous waste removal and coordination with multiple agencies. The Aurora remained in drydock at Vallejo’s Mare Island until all salvage work was completed on May 13, 2025.

“This is a big mess,” said Councilmember Michael Blower, who voiced anger over the circumstances. “I’m mad about this.”

Blower asked whether the vessel’s owners could be held accountable. Lytle said the matter remained open, noting that the city had legal pathways under California’s Harbors and Navigation Code Sections 550 and 551 to pursue recovery of funds from responsible parties.

Lytle said the ship was ultimately declared “marine debris,” giving the city the authority to remove it. 

The vessel’s ownership has been a murky subject throughout the cleanup process.

At the time the ship sank, Chris Willson, who had previously publicized his goal of refurbishing the Aurora, posted online that the ship had a new owner, who he didn’t name. Later, Willson told CNN that he had decided to sell when an interested buyer showed up, but again did not identify the new owner.

Coast Guard documents show federal officials at the initial response identified two “potential responsible parties.”  

The Coast Guard confirmed to Stocktonia that the investigation of the Aurora’s ownership is ongoing. 

“That story isn’t over either,” Lytle said. “That law in California allows the city now to go back after the owners or anyone associated or party associated with that vessel. I’ve been working closely with the city attorney’s office in dealing with that issue together.”

Councilmember Michelle Padilla raised concerns about potential harm to wildlife. Lytle assured the council that the removal efforts had been structured around environmental protection.

“They are solving the problem by taking away the contaminants to protect the wildlife,” Lytle assured.

A legacy of derelict vessels in the Delta

The Aurora was one of four large, abandoned vessels long moored in Little Potato Slough, a waterway known for its persistent derelict ship problems and regulatory gaps. The ship’s removal followed earlier operations that cleared the military tugboat Mazapeta in January 2024.

The U.S. Coast Guard is currently leading efforts to remove the sunken minesweeper Chaleur. Meanwhile, the former Coast Guard tender Fir remains moored in the slough, with no confirmed plans yet for its removal.

With the Aurora gone, city officials hope the waterway can return to safe navigation and healthier ecological conditions. City staff reported that the intake pump station was brought back to service after the ship’s disposal was completed in May.

The council approved the resolution ratifying the costs on a 7-0 vote.

Josh Susong of Stocktonia contributed to this report.

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