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Bulker arrested after major accident in Louisiana

A Greek bulker that broke free of its moorings on the Mississippi River in Louisiana has been arrested by US marshals, IHS Maritime 360 reports. The Bariba Group-owned, 81,434 dwt bulker Privocean was arrested on 13 April after it damaged a tanker, towing vessels, and an oil dock. Officials are now seeking damages of approximately USD40 million. Roughly USD10 million is being sought to cover damages to the Geden Lines-owned, 116,014 dwt tanker Bravo, which was damaged on 6 April when Privocean broke free of its moorings, crossed the river, and struck the tanker. Another vessel damaged in the incident was the Texas, a tug owned by Crescent Towing & Salvage, which had been smashed between the two vessels during the collision. Crescent Towing has intervened in the arrest, seeking a lien on the bulker to cover damage claims. Crescent Towing noted that three of its other tugs were also damaged during the accident. Portions of a dock owned by oil refiner Ergon, where the tanker had been offloading crude oil at the time of the accident, were completely destroyed in the process, according to the refiner. Ergon said less than 10 barrels of oil were spilled into the river as a result of the collision. http://www.ihsmaritime360.com/article/17500/bulker-arrested-after-major-accident-in-louisiana

Owners of vessels damaged on Mississippi start suits against owners of runaway bulk carrier

San Francisco: The owner of a tanker allegedly rammed and damaged on Monday by a runaway bulk carrier on the Mississippi River filed suit for damages in a US District Court in New Orleans on Friday. Bravo Shipping made the filing as owner of the oil tanker Bravo (61,336 dwt, built 2011) which was allegedly hit by bulk carrier M/V Privocean (81,434 dwt, built 2013) after the latter became unmoored. Bravo was docked at the Ergon-St.James oil storage dock near Convent, Louisiana at the time of the incident. The District Court judge ordered the arrest of the Privocean, moored at Grammercy. There are a number of charges in the suit against Privocean’s Greek owners, topped by “operating the ship in a negligent and unseaworthy manner.” Suits have also been filed against Privocean by dock owner Ergon-St James, and by Crescent Towing and Salvage, owner of the tugboat Texas that was tethered to the Privocean and was dragged along by it on its wild and damage-strewn ride. Source: http://splash247.com/owners-vessels-damaged-mississippi-start-suits-owners-runaway-bulk-carrier/

Privocean moored at Grandview

The Privocean", having suffered minor damage in the triple allision, has been deemed seaworthy and left its post-crash anchorage near mile post 162 in the evening of Apr 8. On Apr 9 it was moored at the Grandview anchorage near Gramercy about 12 to 14 miles down river from the crash area. The U.S. Coast Guard has lifted shipping restrictions along a 3-mile stretch of the Mississippi River in St. James Parish. Two-way river traffic was fully restored between mileposts 160 and 163 in the Convent area son Apr 9. The Coast Guard had begun allowing two-way traffic the previous evening once the "Privocean" was moved to an anchorage outside the crash zone. Periodic traffic restrictions were happening late that day and part of Apr 9 for the safety of workers in salvage operations on the "Bravo". . The tanker which has notyet been cleared to leave, was moved by tugs from the Ergon terminal in St. James in the afternoon pf Apr 9 and was anchored about 5 to 7 miles upriver of the crash zone at the Burnside anchorage, south of the Sunshine Bridge. Underwater divers have removed a mooring line that had been wrapped around the propeller and rudder. While the holes in the ballast tanks were not a stability concern, they still were in need of repairs. The crew has pumped ballast water out of the ship. The extent of the damage and needed repairs were to be determined once the ship has surveyed. The "Texas" which had to be run ashore near milepost 162 after the crash, was taken in tow to a dry-dock to be surveyed. The watertight integrity of the hull was not harmed in the crash nor during the subsequent grounding. The water the "Texas" took on has been removed. The owner of the tug, the New Orleans-based Crescent Towing, was deciding when and where to repair the vessel. Further cleanup of the oil spill in the river was not needed after assessments found no recoverable oil on Apr 7. Report with photos: http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/12064875-123/mississippi-river-traffic-restrictions-near