Barge E2MS 303; Mile Marker 154, Lower Mississippi River

Mile Marker 154, Lower Mississippi River | 2014-Feb-22

Initial Notification: On February 22, 2014, USCG Sector New Orleans (NOLA) contacted the NOAA SSC regarding an oil spill on the Lower Mississippi River. At approximately 15:30 Central Time, the Tank Barge E2MS 303 collided with the towboat Lindsay Ann Erickson, which was pushing grain barges and was moving out of the shipping lane and into a fleeting area. The Tank Barge was being pushed by the Towboat Hannah C. Settoon. The collision occurred at mile marker 153.7 on the Lower Mississippi River. The collision resulted in a gash in one tank, which released crude oil into the river. The tank is reported to contain Bakken crude oil. Reports of actual amount of oil discharged are not yet available. USCG requested for trajectories for both the breached tank and the full potential (25,000 barrels) of all tanks.