Discover the Zaliv-Baikal: Ratings & Maritime News

In a noteworthy incident, the oil tanker Zaliv Baikal, identified by IMO number 9360128, was forced to reverse its course while en route to an oil terminal in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This decision was made amidst concerns of elevated water levels caused by the flooding Mississippi River, as reported by shipping and terminal officials on Tuesday. The Zaliv Baikal was on its way to the terminal situated across the river from downtown Baton Rouge when both the captain and the pilot opted against navigating underneath the Interstate 10 bridge. Although it was previously mentioned by a U.S. Coast Guard representative that the tanker was destined for Exxon Mobil's refinery with a capacity of 504,500 barrels per day, an Exxon spokesperson later clarified that the Zaliv Baikal was not heading to their facility. This 104,000-ton tanker, which was carrying 140,000 barrels of No. 6 oil intended for unloading at Centerpoint Terminal—a facility that has a capacity of 1.2 million barrels across its eleven tanks—measured 130.2 feet in height, just shy of the 133-foot clearance provided by the bridge at that time.