Vane Brothers Fuel Barge; Chesapeake Bay, MD

Chesapeake Bay, MD | 2003-Feb-03

Initial Notification: Fifth Coast Guard District requested on 3 February that NOAA provide a trajectory assessment for a gasoline barge grounded in the Chesapeake Bay at 38-12N and 75-58.8 W. Observers on-scene had reported that the vessel was not leaking but was surrounded by broken ice. NOAA provided weather and a written trajectory estimate if gasoline would have been released from the grounded barge. NOAA also provided a written assessment of the danger from explosion and the potential direction of the resulting smoke plume. Within several hours the barge was refloated and was moved to its destination without further incident. The underwater survey of the bottom of the barge was unable to detect damage as a result of the grounding.