Release No. 006-03
TEXAS CITY, Texas – Responders began the drilling process today to relieve pressure within a tank barge in the Port of Texas City.
A crew with state of the art, remote-operated drilling equipment, drilled two of five holes in the tank barge releasing a significant amount of pressure. This process should make the situation safer for responders to continue the salvage operation.
On-scene response personnel consider the barge pressure to be under control. The perimeter of 100 yards is in place to ensure the safety of workers in the area.
Martin Product Sales LLC is continuing to work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality Houston Region 12, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to minimize the impact of this incident.
The captain of the port of Houston-Galveston established a temporary safety zone in the Texas City Harbor 100 yards from Sterling Chemical dock 2. This safety zone does not impact recreational and fishing boats. The Port of Texas City is open for normal business with the exception of terminals inside the 100-yard safety zone.
The barge carried approximately 235,000 gallons of sulfuric acid when it capsized at Sterling Chemical dock 2 Monday evening.
There are no injuries reported.
The Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Galveston is investigating the cause of this accident.
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Video is available at the guard shack at Ellington Field, Texas.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and security of America.”
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