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Salvage completed

The US Coast Guard reopened the Intracoastal Waterway near Berwick, Louisiana, to vessel traffic after salvage operations were completed on Feb 7. The priority now is to restore normal vessel traffic flow to the critical waterway safely and efficiently. Working in conjunction with senior industry partners and members of the area Marine Transportation System Recovery and Safety Committee, a Marine Transportation System recovery plan was developed to expeditiously restore the waterway to normal operation and clear the queued backlog of commercial traffic.

Salvage of barge underway

On Jan 6 the salvage operation of the rock barge 'ACL 01700' which sank after the grounding accident of the 'Miss Odessa' on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Mile Marker 99 in Berwick, Louisiana, was underway. Recovery of the vessel involves removing over 1,600 tons of the aggregate rock cargo, followed by the heavily damaged steel barge, while working in a challenging waterway location with seasonal high water levels and rapidly changing currents. Salvage efforts were continuing day and night. The top priority was to reopen the waterway as quickly and safely as possible. The location of the wreck is in a particularly critical point along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, as it is adjacent to the intersection with the Atchafalaya River, a meeting point for two major shipping channels, along which most of the gulf’s maritime commerce transit. The queue of vessels awaiting transit as of 1:30 p.m. included more than 190 towing vessels and 560 barges. Salvors had removed more than 80 percent of the aggregate rock cargo in the morning. The Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City was monitoring the progress. The weekend weather forecast was favourable for the salvage operations to continue uninterrupted. Based on current traffic forecasts and queue estimates, the Coast Guard expected it may take an additional three to four days after the waterway is reopened to move vessels through the waterway and get back to normal operations. The owners of the tug had hired a salvage company to assist in salvaging the barge and clearing the waterway obstruction as quickly as possible. Members from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City and Coast Guard Marine Safety Center’s Salvage Engineering Response Team have been providing technical support for the recovery effort. Report with photo: https://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-monitors-salvage-operations-as-icw-remains-closed/2020/02/06/

Barge broke in two after tug ran aground

The 'Miss Odessa' ran aground on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at mile marker 99, near Berwick, Louisiana, on Feb 2, 2020. The Vessel Traffic Service Berwick Bay received a report at 10 p.m., that the tug, carrying six hopper barges filled with rock. The tug had run aground while transiting south-bound on the Atchafalaya River when it turned west onto the GICW and hit the bottom. The 'Miss Odessa', in an attempt to break free, tore apart one barge, the 'ACL 01700', measuring 200’x35’x12′, which split in half. Members from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City’s marine inspections team and investigations team arrived on scene on Feb 3 at 8:30 a.m. to assess the incident. The response teams reported no damage to the 'Miss Odessa' or other five barges. No pollution has been reported in the area. The Coast Guard has secured all tow traffic in the location of the barge. The vessel queue as of 2:30 p.m., was 12 southbound, 6 westbound, 28 eastbound and 4 northbound. The towing vessel company American Commercial Barge Line has hired a salvage company to assist the salvage of the barge. A Coast Guard salvage engineering response team was also assisting. Report with photo: https://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-closes-the-intracoastal-waterway-near-berwick-louisiana/2020/02/03/