A key oil route remains closed today as coast guard clear-up teams continue to deal with an accident that has saw thousands of gallons spill into the Houston Ship Channel at the weekend.
More than 90 vessels have been prevented from travelling through the channel, which has been closed between Texas City and Bolivar following the accident on Saturday which saw an oil barge collide with a carrier ship.
The 52-mile shipping route is a vital link for refineries, with around 11% of the entire US refined fuel and chemical feedstock using it each day.
The estimated economic impact of closing the channel is around $330million a day, according to the port authority.
“This is like a hurricane or a tropical storm,” said energy consultant Peter Fasullo
“The ship channel could be shut for several days or even a week.”
Upwards of 30 recovery vessels are on site at the accident as coast guard officials try to contain and clear-up the 168,000 gallons of fuel oil which spilled into the water.
Workers have refloated the barge, whose six tanks were carrying 22,000 barrels (924,000 gallons) of ship fuel when the collision occurred.
The barge was being towed by the vessel Miss Susan when it was struck by the 585-foot bulk carrier Summer Wind, causing one of the barge’s tanks to leak fuel oil, a US coast guard spokesman confirmed.
The fuel from the remaining five tanks has been transferred and the vessel will be moved to a local shipyard, the Coast Guard said.
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