VIDEO: One Ship Moved, Houston Channel Remains Partially Closed

The bulk carrier Conti Peridot that collided on the Houston Ship Channel with the chemical tanker Carla Maersk was safely moved from the scene on Tuesday, the Central Texas Coastal Area Committee (CTCAC) informed.

The Conti Peridot is being moved to the Port of Houston Authority’s Turning Basin terminal.

A 600-foot chemical tanker Carla Maersk carrying Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and the Conti Peridot, a 623-foot bulk carrier collided on Monday at around 12:40 p.m at Morgan’s Point on the Houston Ship Channel.

The collision punctured two of the Carla Maersk’s port cargo tanks resulting in a spill of an unknown quantity of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE).

The Carla Maersk sustained significant damage and remains anchored at the site of the collision.

The ship remains unstable with highly flammable and toxic vapors being emitted from the damaged cargo tanks, the West Gulf Maritime Association said on Tuesday.

“The salvage team plans to apply foam to the open tanks to knock down the vapors. All cargo spilled in the water has apparently dissipated. Prevailing North winds are keeping the fumes offshore, however Barbour’s Cut Terminal remains closed,” WGMA added.

After the foam is applied to the Carla Maersk, the ship still has to be accessed for damage status (she sustained a 31 meter gash down port side) and then be safely shifted to a layberth for lightering cargo and damage surveys.

It is not anticipated the vessel will be moved prior to Thursday and shifted then only during daylight hours.

A section of the channel, from light 86 to the Fred Hartman Bridge, was closed after the collision.

The collision caused the port anchor of the Conti Peridot to break off, however the flukes have been located in the channel and transported on a barge on Tuesday.

The channel will remain closed until salvage ships retrieve an anchor that broke off a bulk carrier, Reuters cited US Coast Guard as saying on Tuesday.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a survey boat standing by and the channel area is being surveyed to insure the bottom is clear. The survey will not likely be completed until Wednesday morning at the earliest, the West Gulf Maritime Association said.

Thirty-six ships, carrying all kinds of cargo, were waiting to get in the channel while 28 waited to get out on Tuesday morning, J.J. Plunkett, port agent for the Houston Pilots told Reuters.

“The air and water monitoring showed no public health concern at this time and work is continuing throughout the evening to ensure the puncture on the tanker is secured,” CTCAC said.

Responders continue air and water monitoring and a helicopter flyover pinpointed a narrow sheen in the water as a result of the incident.

The sheen is said to be about two miles long.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

Images and Video: USCG