Reviews & Ratings for the Meratus-Amurang

Cleanup operations are currently underway on the Mississippi River in New Orleans as the Coast Guard, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinators Office, Gallagher Marine, and dedicated response teams work diligently to address the spill incident. This effort follows the unfortunate collision of the vessel 'Pac Antares' with a pier near Nashville Avenue Wharf on April 13, resulting in the release of heavy fuel oil into the waterway. As a positive development, the Coast Guard has lifted the waterway restrictions, allowing Algiers and Canal Street Ferries to resume regular operations. Furthermore, the intracoastal waterway spanning from the Algiers Lock to the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal is now open for transit. Authorities are actively assessing the situation at Algiers Point to ensure safe navigation amidst the ongoing cleanup activities.

On April 12, 2018, at approximately 10:30 a.m., the cargo vessel 'Pac Antares' suffered a significant hull breach after colliding with a pier at mile marker 100 in New Orleans, during its mooring procedures. This unfortunate incident led to an estimated release of 4,200 gallons of fuel oil into the Mississippi River. The incident occurred while the vessel was docked at the Nashville Avenue Wharf, where crews quickly managed to stem the leak. The U.S. Coast Guard, along with various local agencies, promptly responded to the spill, conducting environmental assessments of the affected area. An Incident Command Post was established to streamline the response efforts. OMI Environmental Solutions played a crucial role, deploying containment booms, sorbent pads, and skimmers to collect the leaked fuel from the river's surface. Initially, one skimmer was dispatched to the scene, with an additional four on their way to enhance the cleanup operations. Meanwhile, the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, along with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, set up monitoring stations near the Riverwalk mall to assess any potential health impacts from the spill. Consequently, vessel traffic on the Mississippi River was temporarily halted between mile markers 91 and 101, which resulted in 12 commercial vessels being immobilized as a precautionary measure. In addition, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) suspended operations of the ferry service between the French Quarter and Algiers Point. However, to accommodate passengers, bus services were arranged to shuttle between the ferry terminals until the river was cleared for navigation. As dark trails of diesel fuel drifted near popular landmarks, security personnel around the refurbished Moonwalk advised visitors to avoid sitting close to the riverside due to the presence of hazardous fumes. Fortunately, water intake operations near Algiers remained unaffected. Response teams involved in mitigating the spill included Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, National Response Corporation, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinators Office, and OMI Environmental Standards. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and investigations into the cause of the allision continue. The 'Pac Antares' had departed from Houston prior to this incident, raising further inquiries into the events leading up to the accident. For detailed reports and images, please visit: - [The Advocate](http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_4e168dd4-3e7a-11e8-9fad-9f8998380ed0.html) - [NOLA.com](http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2018/04/oil_spill_visible_along_missis.html)