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.
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 Aurora had sat for months awaiting a final plan for removal. On Dec. 20, tugboats began the towing process. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard.)
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.
When the Aurora sank, it contained hazardous material including asbestos, lead, hexavalent chromium, and other toxins, Stockton officials said. (Photo from Stockton city documents)
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 Aurora in drydock in Vallejo after being towed in December. (Photo from Stockton city documents)
“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.”
District 3 Councilmember Michael Blower listens during the City Council meeting at City Hall in Stockton, CA on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. (Photo by Annie Barker/ Stocktonia / CatchLight Local / Report for America)
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.
The Chaleur is removed from the Little Potato Slough section of the San Joaquin River in Stockton, CA on Friday, July 18, 2025. (Photo by Annie Barker/ Stocktonia / CatchLight Local / Report for America)
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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Among the 3,914 guests aboard its Navigator of the Seas ship, 134 reported being ill during a cruise that ended July 11, along with seven crew members, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their main symptoms were vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
The health agency listed the causative agent as unknown. The ship was sailing a week-long cruise to Mexico round-trip from Los Angeles, according to CruiseMapper.
The cruise line implemented heightened disinfection and cleaning measures and isolated sick guests and crew, among other steps, the CDC said.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority,” a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group, the line’s parent company, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines.”
There have been 18 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruises that met the CDC’s threshold for public notification in 2025, most of which were caused by norovirus. There were 18 outbreaks total last year, and 14 in 2023.
The CDC told USA TODAY in April that while “the number of recent cruise ship outbreaks has been higher than in years prior to the pandemic, we do not yet know if this represents a new trend.”
“However, CDC data show a newly dominant strain is currently associated with reported norovirus outbreaks on land,” the agency said in an emailed statement. “Ships typically follow the pattern of land-based outbreaks, which are higher this norovirus season.”
The illness is often associated with cruise ships, but those represent only 1% of all outbreaks reported.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
Tianjin Orient International Cruise Line’s Dream has recently undergone a routine drydock at the Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry shipyard in Qingdao, China.
Originally built as the Sea Princess for the Princess Cruises brand, the 77,000-ton vessel arrived at the facility in late June.
According to local sources, the Dream underwent scheduled maintenance, as well as class inspections and minor upgrades to public areas and staterooms.
The 1,950-guest ship also saw the addition of a new livery that includes decorative waves on its hull, as well as new colors for its main mast.
Technical work carried out onboard the vessel included hull painting, rust removal, engine overhaul and oil pump servicing.
After completing the 11-day drydock, the Dream returned to Tianjin to resume revenue service earlier this month.
Upon welcoming guests back onboard earlier this month, the Dream resumed its regular schedule, which includes a series of short cruises departing from Tianjin.
The itineraries visit international destinations, including Sasebo, Nagasaki and Fukuoka in Japan; and Jeju in South Korea.
Before its more recent shipyard visit, the 1998-built vessel underwent a major modernization project at a different facility in China.
As part of the three-month drydock that took place in 2023, the ship saw updates to public areas and cabins, as well as upgrades to systems and technical aspects.
The ship was initially acquired by Sanya International Cruise Development and renamed Charming.
With pandemic-related restrictions preventing cruise operations in China, the vessel remained in a layup status until being acquired by its current operators.
Built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, the Dream entered service in 1998 as the third ship in Princess’ Sun Class.
An investigation has been launched after passengers and crew had to be isolated
Neil Shaw Assistant Editor
11:00, 19 Jul 2025Updated 11:03, 19 Jul 2025
The Royal Caribbean Cruises Navigator Of The Seas
An investigation has been launched after more than 140 people fell ill with a painful vomiting bug on a cruise ship.Crew and passengers fell ill and had to be isolated on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship between July 4 and 11.
The Navigator of the Seas was carrying 3,194 passengers on a seven-night cruise and was heading from Los Angeles to Mexico when people started to fall ill. Seven members of crew and 134 passengers started vomiting, suffering abdominal cramps and having diarrhoea.
A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said: “The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority. To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines.”
The US Centers for Disease Control has taken samples and is investigating the cause of the outbreak. The symptoms match acute gastroenteritis (AGE). caused by norovirus. Norovirus has been responsible for most of the 18 gastrointestinal disease outbreaks on ships this year.
The CDC said: “Norovirus is often a cause of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships, but we don’t always know the cause of the outbreak when we begin an investigation.
“Finding the agent that caused an outbreak (causative agent) can take time. When an outbreak occurs, people whose symptoms met the case definition are asked to provide stool or vomitus samples.”
It added: “These samples are tested to determine the causative agent. In this outbreak, samples are pending confirmatory testing.”
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It’s one of the most common causes of foodborne illness and can affect people of all ages.
Symptoms usually appear 12–48 hours after exposure and include: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, fever, headache and body aches
Symptoms typically last 1–3 days, but people can remain contagious for several days after symptoms stop.
Prevention: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water (hand sanitiser is less effective); disinfect contaminated surfaces with bleach-based cleaners; avoid preparing food for others while sick and for at least 2–3 days after recovery
There is no specific treatment for norovirus; management focuses on hydration and rest. In severe cases (especially in young children, the elderly, or immunocompromised individuals), hospitalisation may be necessary due to dehydration.
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