T/V PRESIDENTE RIVERA; Delaware River, South of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania

Delaware River, South of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania | 1989-Jun-24

Initial Notification: On June 24, 1989 at approximately 0500, the Uruguayan motor vessel Presidente Rivera ran hard aground in the Delaware River near Claymont, Delaware, south of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. The grounding damaged four of the vessel's cargo tanks, resulting in the release of approximately 7310 barrels of No. 6 Oil into the river. The weather at the time was cloudy with occasional thunderstorms, variable light winds, 71?F, and 2-3 miles visibility. The owners of the vessel assumed responsibility and hired a contractor to deploy booms around the ship. Another company was hired as prime contractor for the entire cleanup operation. Cleanup operations began immediately. By mid-morning of the first day, the vessel had been boomed and lightering operations had commenced. A Multi Agency Local Response Team (MALRT) meeting was held at noon on the first day at the Marine Safety Office (MSO) Philadelphia. By the morning of June 25, the vessel had been refloated and moved to the Sun Oil Co. terminal at Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania for final lightering and inspection. By June 28, there was no significant free-floating oil observed in the river. The vessel was in dry dock in Philadelphia by July 8. Cleanup operations continued into the spring of 1990. USCG district 1. Keyword: Atlantic Strike Team (AST), Open Water Oil Containment and Recovery System (OWOCRS), Goodyear boom, Sea Curtain boom, Delaware Bay and River Cooperative, stern trawl net, oil snares, National Guard, Tri-State Bird Rescue Center, Multi Agency Local Response Team (MALRT), vacuum truck, supersucker, skimmer, manual removal, weir/pump skimmer, reoiling, sub-surface oil..