By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 25 -- The US Coast Guard reopened the Mississippi River in New Orleans to limited shipping traffic July 25 after a July 23 fuel oil spill.
An American Commercial Lines barge being pushed by tug collided with the Liberian-flagged chemical tanker Tintomara. The barge carried 419,000 gal of fuel oil, and most of that was believed to have gone into the river.
The accident is under investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board sent representatives to the scene.
The limited traffic allowance could continue for days while the cleanup could take weeks, said USCG Capt. Lincoln Stroh.
USCG reported that containment boom, vacuum trucks, and oil skimmers have been deployed. The No. 6 fuel oil that was spilled is a commercial fuel oil that is lighter than regular fuel oil and dissipates at a quicker speed.
"The Coast Guard continues to work very closely with state and local agencies, the maritime industry, oil spill response organizations, and salvage companies in an effort to mitigate the pollution impact," said USCG Lt. Cmdr. Michael Mckean.
No damage to wetlands has been reported. No injuries have been reported.