T/V ESSO PUERTO RICO; Mississippi River

Mississippi River | 1988-Sep-03

Initial Notification: At approximately midnight on September 3, 1988, the ESSO Puerto Rico, newly loaded with carbon-black feedstock at EXXON Corporation's Baton Rouge facility, was en route down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel struck a submerged object at mile marker 114, opening a starboard tank that released 23,000 barrels of material. A hole measuring 14 inches by more than 32 feet resulted in the bulk of the material being released within approximately 45 minutes over 10 miles travel downriver. The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO), New Orleans, was notified of the spill and the vessel was anchored at mile marker 75. The feedstock material spilled was not visible at the water surface and, except for small, rainbow sheens of about 12 inches in diameter developing near the anchor site and the severely listing vessel, no other evidence of a spill was apparent. USCG district 8.