Bouchard 35; East River, New York

East River, New York | 1994-Jan-05

Initial Notification: At 1730 January 5, 1994, the barge Bouchard 35 collided with its tug Evening Tide in the East River near the Whitestone Bridge at the western end of Long Island Sound. The collision occurred while the tug was repositioning on the barge and resulted in an 18-inch crack in the #3 port tank. The barge was carrying 17,000 barrels of unleaded gasoline and approximately 100 barrels were lost. The crack was above the waterline and was successfully plugged within a few hours of the incident. Weather onscene was winds from the west at 20 to 25 knots, air temperature 21?F, water temperature 35?F, and one- to two-foot seas. The USCG dispatched two boats to survey the incident. An Alco-Sensor test was administered to barge and tug personnel; results were negative. The USCG established a safety zone between the Whitestone and Throggs Neck bridges. Environmentally sensitive areas and water intakes were identified. No oil was seen on the water's surface during an overflight the next morning. USCG district 1. Keyword: evaporation.