The M/V NEW AMITY response: Balancing safety, environment, and commerce during an emergency oil spill response

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dc.acquisition-srcen_US
dc.call-noen_US
dc.contract-noen_US
dc.contributor.authorCook, Ken_US
dc.contributor.authorArnhart, Ren_US
dc.contributor.authorHenry, Cen_US
dc.contributor.other2005 International Oil Spill Conference, IOSC 2005en_US
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-15T16:45:51Z
dc.date.available2010-02-15T16:45:51Z
dc.date.issued2005en_US
dc.degreeen_US
dc.descriptionpgs. 10360-10364en_US
dc.description-otheren_US
dc.description.abstractOn 22 September 2001, a collision occurred between the M/V NEW AMITY and barge, NMS No. 1486 in the Houston Ship Channel. The collision resulted in damage to a single skinned fuel tank of the NEW AMITY and created an oil spill in Upper Galveston Bay near Morgans Point, Texas. The double-hulled cargo oil tanks on the NEW AMITY were not damaged. Additionally, none of the tanks on the NMS No. 1486 were damaged. Immediately after the incident, the damaged tanker was directed by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) and Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) to proeceed to the nearest lay berth. The Port of Houston Barbours Cut container terminal was less that a mile away and the tanker arrived while still leaking oil. A reported 36,000 gallons of IFO-380 was released before the source could be controlled; much of the oil being trapped under the pier structures within Barbours Cut. The oil spill impacted some 20 miles of shoreline habitat including salt marshes, sand and shell beaches, and riprap. The decision to move the vessel into Barbours Cut set the stage for a challenging, but ultimately successful spill response and cleanup. It was uniquely characterized by the difficult task of balancing safety, environmental, and commercial concerns during spill response. Response actions were conducted with the goal of minimizing impacts to commerce without compromising the environmental response and worker safety. The Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Team (or SCAT) process was used to insure that environmental issues were addressed with participation of trustee agencies and to develop cleanup endpoints. Considering the volume of oil released into a sensitive estuarine system, the long-term impacts to the environment were relatively minor. To expedite cleanup, the entire 1.1 mile overhanging dock facility was cleared and four tugs were used to provide a unique method to flush oil out from under the dock into collection areas and open water mechanical skimming systems. Additionally, surface washing agents were used to enhance vessel and hard structure cleanup. Despite the extended response and difficult conditions, no major injuries were reported during the response. A complicating factor throughout was that the spill occurred just eleven days after the September 11th terrorist attack, as U.S. Coast Guard resources and local media were focused on maritime homeland security.en_US
dc.description.urihttp://gbic.tamug.edu/request.htmen_US
dc.geo-codeGalveston Bayen_US
dc.geo-codeHouston Ship Channelen_US
dc.geo-codeMorgans Point, Texasen_US
dc.history1-15-09 kswen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1969.3/18489
dc.latitudeen_US
dc.locationNot available in house - Please contact GBIC for assistanceen_US
dc.longitudeen_US
dc.notesen_US
dc.placeen_US
dc.publisheren_US
dc.relation.ispartofseries10014.00en_US
dc.relation.urien_US
dc.scaleen_US
dc.seriesen_US
dc.subjectemergencyen_US
dc.subjectNew Amityen_US
dc.subjectoil spillen_US
dc.subjectresponseen_US
dc.titleThe M/V NEW AMITY response: Balancing safety, environment, and commerce during an emergency oil spill responseen_US
dc.typeCONFen_US
dc.universityen_US
dc.vol-issueen_US

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