Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, AP

PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 27) - A tanker spilled 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River between Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, creating a 20-mile-long slick that threatened fish and birds, Coast Guard officials said Saturday.



Private contractors were called in to skim oil from the surface of the water and place thousands of feet of boom to contain the floating slick.

A stretch of the busy river was closed to commercial and recreational traffic while the spill was being cleaned up. The Coast Guard asked residents to call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service if they see animals affected by the spill.

"I would classify any spill in the water as significant," said Coast Guard Petty Officer John Edwards. "We're working very quickly and diligently to expedite the cleanup."

Two tugboats were guiding the ship to a pier Friday night when a tugboat skipper noticed the spill, said Coast Guard Capt. Jonathan Sarubbi, officer in charge of the Port of Philadelphia. The ship listed 8 degrees to the left at about the same time, he said.

The crew notified the Coast Guard and began transferring oil from the leaking tank to another tank on board. The leak was stopped within an hour.

The cause of the spill was still under investigation, Sarubbi said.

The tanker, the Athos I, registered in the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus, was carrying 325,000 barrels of oil from Venezuela, said Jim Lawrence, a spokesman for the vessel's owner, Greek shipping company Tsakos Shipping and Trading SA.

The nearly 750-foot-long ship, built in 1983, was last out of the water for maintenance in April, Lawrence said. He said it had never before spilled oil.

It was the worst spill on the Delaware River since 1995, when strong wind pushed a tanker away from a refinery dock in West Deptford, N.J., snapping a fuel line that spilled 40,000 gallons. In 1989, a tanker ran aground near Claymont, Del., spilling 300,000 gallons of heating oil into the river.

About one million barrels of oil come through the Port of Philadelphia each day.


11-27-04 15:51 EST

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press.

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

Anyone happen to know where on the river it took place? Sounds like it may have been in Philly?

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

The Coast Guard says the Athos One spilled about 30-thousand gallons of heavy crude oil Friday night near its destination point: The Citgo facility in Paulsboro, New Jersey

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

Massive Oil Spill In Delaware River

By KYW's john McDevitt
Cleanup and environmental damage continues to be accessed after a Cypress-registered vessel spills tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River Friday night.

The Coast Guard says the Athos One spilled about 30-thousand gallons of heavy crude oil Friday night near its destination point: The Citgo facility in Paulsboro, New Jersey. Officials say the oil stretched about a ten mile span on the river. The captain of the port of Philadelphia, Jonathan Sarubbi, says the exact cause of the leak is under investigation.

"We do know that the cargo from one of the center tanks migrated into one of the ballast tanks, a tank that holds water, and then that tank, somehow, was breached."

A portion of the river is closed to commercial vessels from the Walt Whitman to the Commodore Barry Bridges until the situation is cleared up. The extent of the environmental impact is still being assessed. The public is being urged to report any wildlife problems they may notice to the Coast Guard at (215) 271-4807

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

No spill is good , but at least it's a good time of year :(

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

Lets see if this works better. Oil slick and heavy crude floating by the bulkhead

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

A typical Sunday afternoon on the Delaware :eek:
I'd like to know what's with these pictures...they look ok in my files :confused:

Re: Tanker Spills Oil Into Delaware River
 

My forvorite hangout a few miles south. They had an oil boom across the mouth . Lots of crap still around from this years hurricanes. Lots of activity all over , like they're really taking it seriously. They say it could take up to 6 months to complete. Lets hope for four months :rolleyes:
The pics came out better on another sight :cool: