Accident Cleanup Slows Waterway Traffic

Ship deliveries to most of the Sabine-Neches Waterway were stalled again Wednesday as salvage crews removed concrete lost by a barge. The accident Tuesday left 94 piles, each weighing about the same as a tractor-trailer at 32,110 pounds, in the ship channel. A crane is picking up the heaps one by one, forcing the ship channel's closure to large vessels for days, said U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Ian Bird. Tugboats and barges were allowed into the waterway starting Tuesday evening, he said. Seven crude oil tankers are waiting to enter and 11 others are tied up by the restrictions. Motiva Enterprises is expecting a shipment today of crude, but the refinery keeps enough stock in case of delivery delays, said spokeswoman Sue Parsley. At the Port of Beaumont, a ship is waiting to leave and one needs to drop off a potash shipment, said Chris Fisher, port director. (Source: www.southeasttexaslive.com)