A towing vessel with 13 barges ran aground on the Ohio River near Owensboro, Kentucky, on Thursday, causing five barges to break loose and damaging one that had 500,000 gallons of base oil on board.
It was number 600 and number 100 lube oil, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Kirk Beckmann told Lube Report. The barge was coming to Louisville. Beckmann could not identify the owner of the product.
According to a U.S. Coast Guard report, the towing vessel – called the Ned Merrick – ran aground at 11 p.m. on May 28. The damaged, double-hulled barge remained afloat, but flooding occurred in two empty compartments. As a precaution, the Coast Guard ensured a boom was placed around the vessel. Personnel on the scene and a Coast Guard overflight did not note any pollution.
Coast Guard marine inspectors evaluated the barges condition with the cooperation of company officials. No injuries were reported.
Beckmann yesterday said the lube oil was transferred from the damaged barge once an empty barge was brought to the scene. Coast Guard personnel monitored the transfer operation, and are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident.