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Credit Pacific Service Union A 6-foot gash has been discovered in the hull of a tanker that leaked 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River Friday night, officials said yesterday. But exactly what caused the rupture on the Athos I remains a mystery.

Credit First Service Union "It appears that it hit something underwater," said Jim Lawrence, a spokesman for Tsakos Shipping and Trading, the Greek company that owns the ship. The Coast Guard investigation, however, has not confirmed that scenario, Lt. Buddy Dye said.

Card Credit Mobile Service Divers found the gash in the underwater cargo tank closest to the stern, or rear, of the vessel and in an outside ballast tank, Lawrence said.

Card Credit Discover Service The spill -- the worst on the Delaware River in nine years -- has killed or injured hundreds of birds and stranded commercial vessels trying to move goods through the area.

Credit Public Service Union A captain was on board the 750-foot tanker, and two tugboats were guiding it toward the dock in Paulsboro, Gloucester County, where the Venezuelan crude oil was being delivered to a Citgo Petroleum Corp. refinery, when the leak was discovered about 9:15 p.m. Friday. The ship was carrying about 325,000 barrels, or nearly 14 million gallons of oil.

Card Credit Processing Service A 20-mile section of the river between the Tacony-Palmyra and Commodore Barry bridges that span the river between New Jersey and Philadelphia remains closed to shipping traffic. Two dozen vessels -- most carrying oil and chemicals -- remain lined up, waiting for the shipping lanes to reopen, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Patrick Montgomery said.

Center Credit Service Union The Coast Guard, mindful of the financial effects of the weekend closure of the industrial port, hoped to let some idled commercial vessels through today.

Card Credit Service Wireless "It actually is a pretty big deal," said Rob Reyes, a dispatcher at the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay, a nonprofit trade association that represents port businesses in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. "It costs a lot to keep people sitting there."

Credit Security Service Union Reyes said the delays will have a ripple effect. "It goes on through the delivery system down to trucking and retail," he said.

Credit Report Service A cleanup crew of about 250 has been skimming oil off the water's surface and installing floating booms to help contain the oil, said Steve Kegelman, a contractor hired by the shipping company to oversee the cleanup.

Blogspot Com Christian The oil cover ranges from a light sheen to a thick viscous goop, Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum said. "It smells like you're at the gas tank pumping gas."

Christian Counseling Credit The cleanup has already cost a few million dollars and will go much higher, Kegelman said.

Credit Federal Service Union Heavy rains early yesterday churned the oil deeper into the water, making for a tougher cleanup job, officials said.

Credit Monitoring Service New Jersey Environmental Commissioner Bradley Campbell said crews probably won't be able to completely contain the damage.

Credit Division Service "This is going to be an effort that's going to take weeks and months," he said.

Card Credit Online Service Campbell said the shipping company has been cooperative, and he didn't anticipate any fines.

Consumer Counseling Credit Inc Meanwhile, about 150 birds have already died and at least another 150 have been injured, van Rossum said.

Card Credit Fleet Service The Tri-State Bird Rescue has taken the injured birds to a sanctuary in Delaware. So far, workers have cleaned 16 birds using dishwashing detergent, Director Chris Motoyoshi said. Pepto-Bismol and a hydrating solution were given to birds that may have ingested oil.

Card Consolidation Credit It takes about an hour to de-oil each bird, Motoyoshi said. About a week after they are cleaned, the birds are released into the wild.

Credit Free Online Report Many of the birds affected by the spill will never be treated because they are too difficult to catch, said Motoyoshi, who expects to see more affected birds over the next few days.

Credit Federal First Service The long-term effects of the spill will stretch beyond visible restoration, van Rossum said.

Consumer Credit Service Toxins released into the water will move up the food chain as they are ingested by fish and other aquatic life. Water quality will suffer along with the habitats of birds and other species that make their home along the river.

Center Credit Family Service Van Rossum said the spill could have been avoided if single-hulled ships like the Athos I were not allowed up the river.

Credit Reporting Service "This is not an unlikely event, and it is absolutely preventable," van Rossum said.

Cca Credit Division Service Lawrence, the spokesman for the shipping company, said that "without knowing what happened I can't say for certain," whether it could have been prevented.

Credit Free Report Service A law permitting only double-hulled ships to carry crude oil takes effect in 2011.

Card Credit Customer Discover The last major oil spill on the Delaware River was in 1995, when 40,000 gallons of oil oozed into the water off the Coastal Eagle Point Refinery in West Deptford.

Credit Repair Report Service By Julia M. Scott
Star-Ledger - 11/29/2004

Topic: Petroleum Industry

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