The US Coast Guard and local agencies responded to an oil spill near mile marker 100, on the lower Mississippi River, near New Orleans, after the Singapore-flagged vessel ‘Pac Antares’ hit a pier on Thursday morning causing an estimated 4,200 gallons of oil fuel to discharge.
The Mississippi River is closed to vessel movement from mile marker 91 to mile marker 101, USCG informed.
The closing stalled 12 commercial vessels on the river, while it was unclear when it will be reopened to traffic, according to Chief Petty Officer Third Class Travis Magee, as quoted by Reuters.
USCG Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report at 10:30 a.m. over the incident. Response personnel conducted an assessment of the impacted area and have established an Incident Command Post to coordinate response efforts.
OMI Environmental Solutions continue to deploy containment boom, sorbent boom and pads around the spill to contain and collect oil. They have deployed one skimmer at the site to skim the oil off the surface of the river and have four more are en route.
In addition, the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality are maintaining stations in the vicinity of Riverwalk mall.
Capt. Wayne Arguin, commander, Sector New Orleans, said:
First responders continue to work to minimize the environmental impacts and protect the public so the river can be opened to commercial traffic as soon as possible.
The vessel is currently moored at Nashville Avenue Wharf and the leak has reportedly been plugged.
No injuries were reported. The causes of the incident are under investigation.