SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Savannah reopened the Savannah River near the Ocean terminal to shipping traffic at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Shipping traffic will be required to maintain minimum safe speed from Elba Island, Ga., to the Ocean terminal to minimize the impact to clean-up operations. The unified command will continue to closely monitor the situation and will adjust river traffic accordingly if needed.
The unified command consists of representatives from the Coast Guard, Georgia Port Authority, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, National Park Service, O’Briens Response Management Group, Marine Spill Response Corps, and Crowley Maritime Corporation.
The source of the spill has been secured, and approximately 5,000 feet of boom has been placed in the river to minimize the further spread of diesel fuel. Additionally, 2,200 feet of absorbent boom and several skimmers have been put in place to recover as much fuel as possible.
An over flight was conducted Monday morning to access the environmental impact of the spill and has observed sheen from the Talmadge Memorial Bridge to Fort Jackson. Response crews have been deployed and are containing and recovering as much fuel as possible.
Liberty, a 625-foot roll on/off vessel, reported a hull puncture while attempting to depart the Ocean terminal at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Savannah is investigating the cause of the incident.
