Americas News
Houston Ship Channel Closed After Ship Collision Caused MTBE Spill
The Houston Ship Channel remained closed Tuesday after a ship collision on Monday leaked undetermined amounts of gasoline additive methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) into the water, a spill that officials estimate will take several days to clean up, the American Press reports.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the 45,000 DWT tanker Carla Maersk, which had been carrying 216,000 barrels of MTBE at the time of the incident, was on its way out of the channel when it hit the 57,000 DWT bulker MV Conti Peridot.
The Carla Maersk reportedly suffered breaches to three tanks, and though there were no leaks above the waterline, it is unclear whether leaks below the water have been contained, said Andy Kendrick, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman.
Operations at the Barbours Cut container terminal, along with a 1.6-kilometre stretch of the channel, were closed off as a result.
According to Coast Guard Captain Brian Penoyer, the main concern is ensuring that the MTBE spill poses no danger to residents and work crews, as the chemical is both flammable and toxic.
A shelter-in-place order has been issued for the area around the spill.
The crash is the second such incident this month, with the previous collision between a cargo ship and an oil tanker last Thursday causing the channel to close for three days.
No pollution or injuries were reported in that incident.
However, the channel did experience another spillage early last year, which saw a bunker barge spill 168,000 gallons of fuel oil into the waterway.
