Barge Corpus Christi; Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts | 1985-Jan-24

Initial Notification: NOAA SSC, CAMBRIDGE, RECEIVED CALL FROM LT(JG) RIOPELLE, MSO PROVIDENCE CONCERNING POTENTIAL DIESEL SPILL IN BUZZARDS BAY. THE BARGE CORPUS CHRISTI/SUN HAD SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE NO. 2 PORTSIDE TANK AND LEAKED 50-100 GALLONS OF NO.2 FUEL OIL (DIESEL). BARGE REPORTED TO HAVE 100,000 BARRELS OF DIESEL FUEL ON BOARD. LEAK HAD BEEN STOPPED AND VESSEL ANCHORED OFF BUOY "11" WEST OF CAPE COD CANAL. COAST GUARD REQUESTED NOAA PROVIDE SPILL TRAJECTORY AND RESOURCES AT RISK INFORMATION IN THE EVENT A MAJOR SPILL OF DIESEL OCCURRED. . 1040 SSC REQUESTED TRAJECTORY FROM MASS GROUP IN SEATTLE AND RESOURCES INFO FROM RPI. RPI WILL CONTACT JOHN TEAL AND JOHN FARRINGTON AT WHOI FOR LOCAL EXPERTISE ASSISTANCE. THE NAME OF BOB BEARDSLEY AND JOHN MOODY AT WHOI SUGGESTED FOR OCEANOGRAPHIC ASSISTANCE TO TRAJECTORY GROUP. . 1050 NOAA WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST FOR BUZZARDS BAY (BOSTON OFFICE) WINDS 10-20 KTS OUT OF WEST THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. WINDS SHIFTING TO 10-20 KTS NW FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SEAS RUNNING 2 FT OR LESS THRU THURS MIDNIGHT. . 1100 LT(JG) RIOPELLE, MSO PROVIDENCE, CONFIRMED POSITION OF BARGE TO BE 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF BUOY "11" LOCATED SOUTH OF CLEVELAND LIGHT. EXPECT TO HAVE MSO PERSONNEL ON SCENE BY 1100. ICE CONDITIONS REPORTED TO BE 80% COVERAGE OF PANCAKE & BRASH ICE COMPACTED BY WIND BETWEEN BUTLER POINT AND NYES NECK, AND BETWEEN CLEVELAND LEDGE CHANNEL AND WEST FALMOUTH. CLEVELAND LEDGE CHANNEL LEADING INTO CAPE COD CANAL HAS SLUSH ICE WHICH FLOWS WITH THE CURRENT. REQUESTED COAST GUARD TO PROVIDE ON SCENE WEATHER DESCRIPTIONS AND ANY VISUAL OBSERVATIONS OF BEHAVIOR OF OIL SHEENS WHEN BARGE WAS LEAKING. . 1152 PROVIDED INITIAL TRAJECTORY COMMENTS AND CLEAN UP RECOMMENDATIONS (RPI) TO COAST GUARD. . 1310 LT(JG) RIOPELLE, MSO PROVIDENCE, CONFIRMED MSO PERSONNEL ON SCENE. LEAK TO NO. 2 PORTSIDE TANK HAS BEEN REPAIRED WITH A 3'X4' PATCH. FUEL HAS BEEN LIGHTERED TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE (FROM OIL) ON THE PATCH. NO POLLUTION VISIBLE AT THIS TIME. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS ENROUTE TO INSPECT VESSEL BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER IT WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER CAPE COD CANAL TO CONTINUE ON TO BOSTON. VESSEL APPEARS STABLE AT THIS TIME. . 1330 RESOURCES AT RISK INFORMATION PROVIDED TO COAST GUARD. . 1520 CWO WILLIAMS, MSO PROVIDENCE, STATED BARGE CORPUS CHRISTI/SUN HAD BEEN PERMISSION BY COAST GUARD AND ARMY COE TO PROCEED THROUGH THE CANAL. EXPECTED TO GET UNDERWAY BY 1600. NO POLLUTION VISIBLE AT THIS TIME, BUT COAST GUARD CONCERNED IF LEAK WILL RETURN WHEN VESSEL IS UNDERWAY. ONCE UNDERWAY, VESSEL WILL BE OBSERVED BY HELOCOPTER DURING TRANSIT THROUGH CANAL. IF SIGNIFICANT LEAKING REOCCURS, VESSEL WILL BE DETAINED IN CAPE COD CANAL, BOOMED, AND THE CARGO LIGHTERED. IF NO POLLUTION, OR MINIMAL LEAKING OCCURS, VESSEL WILL BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO BOSTON. MSO BOSTON WILL THEN DETERMINE IF VESSEL MUST BE LIGHTERED BEFORE ENTER- ING HARBOR, OR WHETHER IT MAY PROCEED TO GLOBAL MARINE TERMINAL TO OFF LOAD. AFTER OFFLOADING, BARGE WILL RETURN TO HOME BASE IN NEW YORK FOR REPAIRS. 1600 CWO RONDAMANSKI, MSO BOSTON, CONFIRMED BARGE CORPUS CHRISTI/SUN IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE BOSTON HARBOR BETWEEN 0300 AND 0400 EST. VESSEL WILL BE ANCHORED OUT AND BOOMED UNTIL MSO PERSONNEL HAVE INSPECTED IT. USCG district 1.