Exxon Tanker Leaves Dry Dock

After nearly a year in dry dock in San Diego Bay, the Exxon tanker involved in the nation’s worst oil spill returned to water Friday night after undergoing multimillion-dollar repairs.

Towed by four tug boats, the Exxon Mediterranean, formerly the Exxon Valdez, was floated out of its dry dock for the first time and moved into the bay. It was escorted a quarter of a mile to an outfitting pier, where it was berthed to undergo 10 days of equipment checks and other tests to evaluate its seaworthiness. A two-week sea trial is scheduled for early August, followed by a voyage to the Middle East.

When the damaged ship was brought to San Diego last July for $30 million in repairs, officials said whole sheets of the tanker’s skin on the starboard side appeared shredded, twisted and crumpled, as if it were flimsy aluminum, not 3/4-inch thick steel.