High water troubles continued on the Lower Mississippi River Wednesday when the Coast Guard closed a stretch in Plaquemines Parish, La., while a 22-barge breakaway was rounded up.
The incident happened near West Point a la Hache, La., at mile 54 and involved barges loaded with coal and petroleum coke, according to the Coast Guard Eighth District in New Orleans. The river was closed at 12:58 p.m. local time.
On Thursday afternoon the Mississippi remained closed between mile markers 50 to 53, while the Coast Guard oversaw the recovery operation and was assessing the location of a last barge to determine if it was a hazard to navigation. The closing left a vessel queue of 21 vessels southbound and 18 up bound, theCoast Guard said.
As the barges floated downstream, three deep-draft motor vessels the Marshall Islands-flagged Q Jake, Liberian-flagged Serena P, and the Panamanian-flagged Ocean Tomo sustained damage in collisions. One of the vessels spilled a portion of dry-bulk soy beans into the river.
The spill was secured, and all three vessels safely anchored. All the barges were accounted for and secured, except one still pushed up again the left descending bank, the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard issued its latest set of restrictions on the lower river this week, including:
• The Bonnet Carre Anchorage from mile marker 127.3 to 128.8 is closed.
• The Carrollton gauge at New Orleans indicates a Mississippi River stage of 16.7’, again on the rise toward the 17’ flood stage.
• Vessel-to-vessel cargo transfers are prohibited unless specifically approved in advance by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port New Orleans.
• Vessels are prohibited from entering South Pass from the Gulf of Mexico if they have a speed of less than 10 mph.
• Unless moored to a shore side facility or mooring buoys, all deep-draft vessels must have three means to hold position, such as two fully operational anchors and the propulsion system in standby. If anchors become inoperable with no redundant capabilities available, such as aft anchors or two main engines, tug assist can be a third means of holding position
• The Captain of the Port of Morgan City, La., has closed the Bayou Chene to all marine traffic, and high water towing limitations remain in force near Morgan City for vessels heading southbound with a length no greater than 600 feet.
