Wednesday, May 15, 2019

UPDATE 7: Unified Command continues response to collision on Houston Ship Channel near Bayport, Texas

UPDATE 7:  Unified Command removes barges involved in collision from Houston Ship Channel

HOUSTON – The Unified Command, consisting of U.S. Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, Port of Houston Fire Department and Kirby Inland Marine, have successfully removed two barges involved in a collision from the Houston Ship Channel, Wednesday. 
The Captain of the Port of Houston-Galveston has opened the Houston Ship Channel without restrictions and vessel traffic has returned to normal operations.  As of 12 p.m., 41 vessels are awaiting inbound passage through the channel and 24 are awaiting outbound passage.
“The successful removal process is a credit to precise planning and risk assessment by the various agencies, barge owner and contract personnel who responded to this incident,” said Lt. Cmdr. Muhammad Ali Cochran, federal on-scene coordinator. “I am pleased that we have been able to safely remove these barges from the incident site and facilitate the return of normal commerce and activity in the ship channel.”
Kirby barge 30015T, the barge damaged from the collision, was transferred to the Southwest Shipyard at Channelview, while barge MMI 3041, the overturned barge, was taken to Barbours Cut Turning Basin where lightering operations will take place.  The movement of the barges was completed without incident in less than four hours and there have been no reports of release of product into the water.  Air monitoring will be ongoing at both locations. 
Skimming vessels continue to collect a small amount of product from sheen at the initial incident site. Crews will assess shorelines for any remaining presence of product.  Boom placed in some sensitive areas over the last several days will begin to be removed once those locations are determined to have sustained no impact from the spill.
Water quality testing teams are conducting sampling and are assessing the need for shoreline remediation. Initial water quality test results are expected to be available to response officials on Thursday.  
Involved with the response include the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, Port of Houston, Kirby Inland Marine, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Galveston County Health District, Texas Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as city and county officials who have been representing the interests of their communities, citizens and businesses. 
The incident occurred late Friday afternoon after the 755-foot tanker Genesis River and the tug Voyager collided at Lights 71-74 in the Houston Ship Channel. There were no crew injuries associated with the incident and the cause remains under investigation.
Key phone numbers:
Claims Hotline: 1-800-241-9010
Regional Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222
Impact to fish and wildlife: 979-215-8835
Air monitoring information: 281-757-3017 (available through May 15th)
Joint Information Center: 281-755-4670
Updates and resources are available at www.bayport-response.com
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2:00 p.m.May 15, 2019

Update: Unified Command Begins Removal of Barges from Houston Ship Channel

HOUSTON – As of 8:20 a.m. today, the Unified Command responding to last week’s collision between a tanker and two barges near Bayport, Texas, has begun removal of both barges from the Houston Ship Channel.
The decision follows successful removal of the remaining gasoline blend product onboard the Kirby barge 30015T which was struck by the tanker Genesis River last Friday afternoon. Late Tuesday afternoon it was determined that the MNI 3041 barge, aground and submerged in the water as a result of the incident, could also be safely floated and moved to shore without removal of its product. The entire movement is expected to last approximately four hours.
Air and water quality monitoring will take place throughout transit and following the transit process. An adequate supply of containment boom will also be available on scene as a precautionary measure.  Existing containment and absorbent boom in place along sensitive shoreline areas will remain in place.
Skimmer boats and the Port of Houston fire boat will be on standby to provide rapid response if needed. All other navigation in the ship channel will be suspended during the complete transit process.
The damaged barge will be taken to the Southwest Shipyard at Channelview while the other barge will be towed to the Barbour’s Cut Turning Basin.  Both barges will undergo thorough decontamination to remove all residue from any of the gasoline blend stock from their hulls. The MNI 3041 undamaged barge will be lightered at the Barbour’s Cut.
Editor’s note: Both shipyards are private property and are not accessible without the permission of the property owners. 
8:45 a.m.May 15, 2019
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Shrimp boats are not barred from fishing in the bay but the state is warning against them operating north of Texas City dike - photo courtesy Pixabay 

Shrimp fishing season can go ahead in Galveston Bay tomorrow, Wednesday, despite the release of toxins into the bay when two tank barges were severely damaged in a collision on Friday.

But the state’s health services department, the authority that governs the right to fish in Texas waters, is warning shrimp lovers to keep their boats in the southern reaches of the bay to avoid the risk of catching contaminated crustaceans.

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i don't suppose the state is enforcing this part;

But the state’s health services department, the authority that governs the right to fish in Texas waters, is warning shrimp lovers to keep their boats in the southern reaches of the bay to avoid the risk of catching contaminated crustaceans.

this situation is very sad and upsetting...thanks, terry

Shrimp season escapes bay ban in toxin release scare By Ian White - May 14, 2019 Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter 

Shrimp boats are not barred from fishing in the bay but the state is warning against them operating north of Texas City dike - photo courtesy Pixabay Shrimp fishing season can go ahead in Galveston Bay tomorrow, Wednesday, despite the release of toxins into the bay when two tank barges were severely damaged in a collision on Friday.

But the state’s health services department, the authority that governs the right to fish in Texas waters, is warning shrimp lovers to keep their boats in the southern reaches of the bay to avoid the risk of catching contaminated crustaceans.

And it says its decision on Saturday to shut down private oyster harvesting in the bay temporarily from midnight that evening was predicated on other factors that do not necessarily affect shrimp.

The department first issued its shrimp warning on Saturday and has not changed its position since then, to the disappointment of San-Leon-based Prestige Oyster company owner Lisa Halili, who believes fishing in the bay should be shut down in total pending the results of the department’s toxicology investigations.

The department said that, while the spill was not then affecting the entire area, “changing tidal and weather conditions mean different parts of that area could be affected in the future”.

It recommended that fishermen and diners avoid any fish or shellfish that has an oily or chemical look or smell or has been caught in the northern reaches of the bay.

Wholesaler It also said the chemical involved, a gasoline additive called reformate, evaporates quickly and is not expected to accumulate in fish tissue once it’s gone from the water, “so any impact on seafood should be resolved in the coming days or weeks”.

The department added “Exposure to the chemical vapor does not pose a long-term health concern but it can cause short-term effects like headache, nausea and eye irritation in people who come into contact with it”.

Halili, whose company is one of the nation’s biggest wholesalers of crustacean seafood, told Clear Leader News today, Tuesday, that she would prefer a ban, or at least a delay to the the start of this year’s shrimp season in the bay until the state of its shellfish has been assessed.

The health department’s media relations director, Chris Van Deusen, said “We’re recommending right now that people not fish in or eat seafood from the area of Galveston and Trinity bays north of a line from the end of the Texas City dike to Smith Point.

“That advice would apply to shrimp.”

Referring to Friday’s collision and the department’s consequential decision to close down the harvesting of oysters on Saturday, he added “Oysters are a little different because we routinely open and close oyster harvesting areas for a variety of reasons and decided to temporarily close oyster harvesting in Galveston Bay as we gather more data on conditions there.”

source ClearLeaderNews
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