Houston Ship Channel Reopens After Ships Collide
The Houston Ship Channel has reopened after a collision between a container ship and a chemical tanker, according to a spokesman with the United States Coast Guard.
The shutdown came hours after the channel reopened following several days of fog that held up traffic. The Coast Guard said there is no pollution in the water.
No injuries or pollution were reported as a result of Thursday's collision in the top U.S. petrochemicals port, the pilots said.
“Right after 2 p.m. Thursday a 892-foot cargo ship Montealegre and a 445-foot oil tanker Chembulk Houston collided two miles east of Dollar Bay, south of San Leon,” Petty Officer Dustin Williams with the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The 50-mile-long ship channel that links Houston to the Gulf of Mexico is lined with petrochemical plants. It's one of the world's busiest waterways.
The channel reopened at around 4 p.m. ET. There was no word on what caused the crash. Williams says both ships were heading to their destinations up the channel.
