Skip to content

Cement Barge Robert Koch; Oswego, New York

Oswego, New York | 1985-Dec-15

Initial Notification: At approximately 1640 on December 15, 1985, the tugboat R & L broke its towline to the cement barge Robert Koch while underway on Lake Ontario outside of Oswego, New York. The barge was immediately anchored and the personnel on board removed. At approximately 2245 that evening, the barge, which contained 15 metric tons of Portland cement, an estimated 40 long tons of no. 2 fuel and 600 gallons of lub oil, dragged its anchor and grounded in 15 feet of water one mile east of East Breakwater Light near Oswego. An initial survey found the engine room and all ballast tanks to be flooded. The single bunker tank was intact, not integral with the hull, and in no immediate danger of rupture. The cargo hold containing the cement was also intact. Weather conditions were severe and continued to worsen. The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Buffalo, was notified of the grounding the Coast Guard Station in Oswego on the afternoon of December 16. USCG district 9.

Incident Details
Products of concern:No. 2 fuel
Total amount at risk of spill: 20,000 gallons
Latitude (approximate): 43° 28.56′ North
Longitude (approximate): 76° 33.28′ West