VICKSBURG, Miss. – The Coast Guard says it has reopened the
Mississippi River to north and southbound towboat traffic following the
completion of oil removal operations following
a barge crash and the resultant oil spill.
The Captain of the Port reduced the safety zone to one mile
centered on either side of the two barges with no passing or overtaking within
the zone.
“The Coast Guard is no longer actively managing the flow of
towboat traffic and we are minimizing the safety zone to a one-mile distance to
ensure the safety of response crews still working on the MOC-12 barge,” said
Capt. William Drelling, Federal On Scene Commander for the Vicksburg oil spill,
in a statement.
The light crude oil product in the tank barges MOC-12 and
MOC-15 was effectively removed to complete damage assessments and temporary
repairs to prepare them for transit to a waiting marine facility. The barges
will be moved following approval of a transit plan.
The Coast Guard investigation into the incident is ongoing.