NEW ORLEANS — The Coast
Guard reports it has responded to an oil discharge on the
Mississippi River near the Interstate 10 bridge in Baton Rouge, Monday.
Two barges were at a transfer station near the
bridge on the Mississippi River, discharging fuel, when a third barge
struck one of the stationary barges, knocking a transfer connection hose
loose and into the water.
Operations were quickly secured following the incident and Coast Guard
Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge, along with members from OMI
Environmental Services and Louisiana Oil
Spill Coordinator's Office, were on scene to respond, the Coast
Guard reported.
Blessey
Marine Services has assumed responsibility for the spill and
has contracted OMI Environmental Solutions as the oil spill response
organization. Sixteen-hundred feet of 18-inch hard boom have been deployed to
contain the spill.
Pollution investigators from Marine Safety Baton Rouge
conducted an overflight and shoreline assessments on Friday morning.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is actively working with the
responsible party and the oil spill response organization to identify and clean
up any affected areas,” said Cmdr. Quincy Davis, commanding officer of MSU
Baton Rouge, in a statement. “Federal, state, local agencies are
collaborating to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”
No injuries were reported and the cause of the incident is
still unkown.
The Mississippi remains open. However, it is advised that
all vessels transiting the area reduce their speed near the site.