The following is the text of a press release from the Alabama State Port Authority:
(MOBILE, Ala.) — The Alabama State Port Authority and the Harbormaster for the Port of Mobile report that all commercial traffic continues to transit the Port of Mobile.
“We continue to monitor the oil spill situation offshore and the weather,” stated Jimmy Lyons, director and chief executive for the Port Authority. “We are confident that we will not see a change in port operations over the next 24 hours.”
The Port of Mobile Harbormaster imposed restrictions to navigation remain in effect as follows:
ô€‚ƒ All deep draft vessels entering or leaving the Port of Mobile should use any easterly approach or the established safety fairway Southeast of the Mobile Sea Buoy (approximate position 28º07’50” N, 88º04’12” W) to avoid contact with the spill area.
ô€‚ƒ All deep draft vessels entering or leaving the Port of Mobile should use any easterly approach or the established safety fairway Southeast of the Mobile Sea Buoy (approximate position 28º07’50” N, 88º04’12” W) to avoid contact with the spill area.
􀂃 Requires all vessel agents / masters entering the Port of Mobile to submit a written report stating the subject vessel has not transited an oiled area and/or has conducted a visual examination of the external hull above the waterline for the presence of oil. Reports must be submitted to the attention of Captain Terry Gilbreath, Harbormaster – Port of Mobile at harbormaster@asdd.com.
􀂃 All vessels that have been direct support of the oil spill response activities (skimming, laying boom, etc) should contact the Incident Command Post in Houma, LA for decontamination instructions. Houma Incident Command Point of Contact: Steve Kegelman at steve.kegelman@obriensrm.com or (732) 245-4703.
The Port of Mobile is the 9th largest U.S. seaport in total volume. The Alabama State Port Authority, headquartered in Mobile, Ala., owns and operates the State of Alabama’s deepwater port facilities. The Authority’s container, general cargo, bulk, and heavy lift terminals have immediate access to two interstate systems, five Class 1 railroads, four-day rail service to Mexico and nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterway connections. To learn more, log onto www.asdd.com or http://www.asdd.com/oil_incident.html
