Americas News
USCG Reports Bunker Spill in Houston Channel After Tanker Fire
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Tuesday announced that the Houston Ship Channel was closed in a more than one mile section after a bunker spill followed a fire on Panama-flagged Aframax River late Monday.
The incident is said to have occurred at the Intercontinental Terminals Company at Buffalo Bayou, Texas around midnight.
"It was reported that a bunker tank was punctured and caught fire. The tanker was not loaded and carrying product when the incident occurred," explained USCG.
A pilot onboard the tanker is said to have notified Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders that the vessel was in fire.
The channel was closed at 12:08 a.m. Tuesday, and security zone established from the Cargil facility to the Cemex docks.
The fire was extinguished and all crew members are noted to have been accounted for with no injuries reported.
USCG notes that a fire boat and investigators will remain on the scene, with the reopening of the channel depending on results of inspections.
Aframax River is understood to be owned by Hellenic Tankers Co. Ltd (Hellenic Tankers), trading within the Navig8 Tankers Aframax pool.
The channel closure comes after Hurricane Hermine limited bunker market activity late last week, halting port operations, either fully or partially, at a number of U.S. East Coast ports.
