The exact amount of oil spilled is unknown.
The 290-foot barge from KSEA Transportation Inc., reported that while it was transferring oil to the freight ship Mariano Lauro some of the oil spilled from a vent onto the deck and into the water.
The barge’s crew immediately deployed a 50-foot section of absorbent boom between the barge and the ship.
Coast Guard Sector New York sent two pollution investigators to the scene, who reported that most of the oil had been trapped between the two vessels. A Coast Guard over flight is scheduled for first light to further assess the shoreline impact.
The Coast Guard vessel traffic center requested that three commercial vessels relocate from Stapleton Anchorage due to the possibility of impact from the wind and tide directions.
Millers Launch has been contracted to conduct a cleanup of the spill and have deployed a hard boom around the freight ship, barge and the tug that was alongside the barge.
“We are working with the responsible party and Millers Launch to do all we can to minimize the impact of this spill,” said Coast Guard Lt. Caren Damon, Sector New York command duty officer, “and we will be on scene monitoring the cleanup of the spill throughout the night.”
Weather on scene is reported at about 17 to 23 mile-per-hour winds with gusts of 28 miles-per-hour and two to three-foot seas.
The Coast Guard will be conducting further investigation regarding the incident.
For any third party pollution claims contact Coast Guard Sector New York at 718-354-4350.
