Carla Maersk file photo (c) MarineTraffic/Adawo
The Coast Guard says the Carla Maersk is listing and that upwards of three port cargo tanks may have been breached. An unknown quantity of the ship’s cargo is currently leaking into the channel.
The collision occurred approximately 1 kilometer south of the entrance to Barbours Cut.
An update from the USCG Alert and Warning System issued at 2:15 CDT read:
The following notice by Candice Armenoff, Port of Houston Authority Customer Service Manager was posted on gCaptain’s Facebook page:“A discharge of MTBE, Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether, has occurred following a collision at Morgan Point on the Houston Ship Channel. Primary hazard is flammability, and odor detection threshold is very low – 50 PPM. Port entities are advised the Houston Ship Channel is closed to all traffic from light 86 to Morgans Point High lines. A Unified command is being established – follow any protective orders issued by municipal & county authorities.”
Barbours Cut and APM Terminals are under and evacuation order. Drivers that are inside of the terminal will be escorted off by Port Police. Containers will not be allowed to exit the terminal as US Customs has also evacuated. Containers and Chassis can be dollied down inside of the terminal. I will be sure to follow up with details as I get them.A “Shelter In Place” order is in effect for Morgan’s Point, according to the City of La Porte’s Office of Emergency Management.
MTBE, or methyl tertiary-butyl ether, is a chemical compound that is primarily used as a fuel additive in motor gasoline.
Weather in the area was reported to be foggy with light rain.
Today’s incident follows a collision last Thursday (March 5th) involving the Hamburg Süd-owned containership Monte Alegre and the chemical tanker Chembulk Houston, which briefly shut portion of the channel. No injuries or pollution were reported as a result of that incident.