Disaster: Oil Spill in Texas Port
Port of Port Arthur has been closed due to an 800 foot oil tanker colliding into a towing vessal, which was pushing two barges.
It is unclear exactly how much oil has spilled however the U.S. Coast Guard and Petty Officer Richard Brahm estimates that it could be as much as 450,000 Gallons. The Coast Guard believes that the spill should be contained within the two miles of the Sabine Neches Waterway.
While there was no injuries reported on either of the vessels, the oil tanker suffered great damage. A 15 foot by 8 foot hole was put into the hull of the large vessel resulting in the unaccounting of 11,000 barrels of oil or as previously stated 450,000 gallons.
There has been several different local reports that conflict the story told us by
the Coast Guard. One report stated that only about 1,000 barrels had been spilled and another report states that the impact on the environment shall be minimal.
As to this writer, I believe that the amount of oil I use in my frying pan to fry some chicken is too excessive of an amount to spill. While an accident is an accident, HOW DO YOU NOT SEE AN 800 FOOT VESSEL or a TOWING VESSEL PUSHING TWO BARGES? Don’t the operators of these type vessels have a special license? Isn’t there courses that they take to get a Captain’s License?
I am not trying to be cruel or unthoughtful, but what could be possibly going on out there that these ships would collide. How fast could they possibly be going that they didn’t have enough time to act? What is up with the Port? Don’t they have a Harbor Master or something like that? Airports have the towers and air traffic controllers watching radar. Doesn’t Ports have someone directing traffic? It appears that it is needed.
Exxon Valdez
While this crash is no where near the amount that the Exxon Valdez spilled, which was 11 Million gallons, it is still going to have negative impact on the environment.
Oil Spill Effects by Wikipedia Encyclpodia Online:
- The oil penetrates and opens up the structure of the plumage of birds, reducing its insulating ability, and so making the birds more vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and much less buoyant in the water. It also
photo courtesy: wkikipedia.org
impairs birds’ flight abilities, making it difficult or impossible to forage and escape from predators. As they attempt to preen, birds typically ingest oil that covers their feathers, causing kidney damage, altered liver function, and digestive tract irritation. This and the limited foraging ability quickly causes dehydration and metabolic imbalances. Hormonal balance alteration including changes in luteinizing protein can also result in some birds exposed to petroleum.[2] Most birds affected by an oil spill die unless there is human intervention.[3][4]
- Marine mammals exposed to oil spills are affected in similar ways as seabirds. Oil coats the fur of Sea otters and seals, reducing its insulation abilities and leading to body temperature fluctuations and hypothermia. Ingestion of the oil causes dehydration and impaired digestions.
- Because oil floats on top of water, less light penetrates into the water, limiting the photosynthesis of marine plants and phytoplankton. This, as well as decreasing the fauna populations, affects the food chain in the ecosystem.
More than anything safety must be Top Priority in all we do. Safety doesn’t just mean for human life it also means any of God’s creations including all animal habitat and our planet Earth. Maybe it is just me, I can’t understand how something like this could ever possibly happen with all the technology of today. Our radar systems of today can pick up anything. Think about it we even have Fish Finder’s. So how could anyone not see huge vessels such as those involved.
A 28 block area had to be evacuated. Although that area contained fewer than 100 people, think about the danger they were inolved in. Petty officer rahm stated to the Associated Press that during the collison the towing vessell hit another tanker that was tied to the pier. That tanker did bear some damage, however, there were no leaks.
On June 11, 1990 the 853 foot Norwegian Oil Tanker spilled 5.1 Million Gallons of crude oil off the coast of Galveston, Texas. There were explosions and fire and numerous injuries reported. The explosion killed two and injured 17 others of the 41 member crew. For more on this topic see New York Times.
The Disaster of an Oil Spill is deadly no matter how many gallons of oil is leaked. We must be prepared and act in a manner of the mind set; Safety First. Disaster Preparedness in this case begins with proper driving techniques. The invention of window’s was just the beginning of thinking of safety and being prepared. If you can;t see HUGE towing vessels or oil tankers, ahead of you, beside you, or behind you, you should see an eye doctor, or get out from behind the wheel. In the case of the Valdez; when driving a 987 foot long tanker that is 166 foot wide and 88 foot high/deepth and carrying 53 Million gallons of oil, It may be a good idea to wait on the idea of getting drunk while at work. That way you won’t need to sleep it off when your tanker is entering the harbor. Autopilot is a good dea for the open seas.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a scientific organization that focuses on the conditions of the ocean and the atmosphere. They have a program of disaster preparedness of which here is a video they made of a mock disaster exercise back in 2005.
We here at The Homeless Herald pray that this situation is attacked, contained, and cleaned up in the quickest and best possible manner leaving behind NO evidence that this disaster happened. In addition we pray that any situation like this be never happen again and that those in these careers receive proper training and utilize those skills 100% of the time.
Want to Pilot a ship?
Please Check Out this Google Link for Captains License Courses
This Link is Reccommended U.S.C.G. National Maritime Center
Special Thanks to the Associated Press for their excellent coverage.
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Last but not least we want to show everyone the lasting effects so here is a video of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 20 Years Later
May God bless you.
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