Ammonia Tank Released; Lime Tree Bay, St. Croix
NOAA initial notification: “During transfer, a 8000 lb. Anhydrous Ammonia intermodal tank was dropped, and is now wedged between a Bunkering Barge and the ship. It is partially submerged, and there is ammonia bubbling up.”[1]
Latest included source report
Posted 22 Mar 2009
Latest source report
“Per conversations with Sector San Juan watch officer, as of Saturday evening, the fueling barge (Hygrade 42) with IFO-380 fuel was to be relocated to the HOVENSA terminal for offloading of its fuel and inspection for damage. The ammonia tank had fallen onto the barge and then wedged between it and the container ship (MV Tropic Unity). As of Sunday morning, the watch officer […]” Current outcome is not independently verified by seahazards.[4]
NOAA report chronology
4 dated source records · 21 Mar 2009 to 22 Mar 2009NOAA incident record opened
Initial notification excerpt: “During transfer, a 8000 lb. Anhydrous Ammonia intermodal tank was dropped, and is now wedged between a Bunkering Barge and the ship. It is partially submerged, and there is ammonia bubbling up.”
NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track
Initial incident area only. Dates are NOAA postings, not a vessel track. Playback advances every 5 seconds.
Milestone 1 of 4: 21 Mar 2009. NOAA incident record opened. NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track
NOAA incident record opened
Initial notification excerpt: “During transfer, a 8000 lb. Anhydrous Ammonia intermodal tank was dropped, and is now wedged between a Bunkering Barge and the ship. It is partially submerged, and there is ammonia bubbling up.”
NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track (17.699°, -64.747°)
Weather forecast: 3/21
Source report excerpt: “To: Jim Jeansonne, NOAA SSC rep. Saturday, March 21, 2009 1330 EDT FROM: NOAA/Hazardous Materials Response Division Modeling and Simulation Studies, Seattle, WA 98115 SUBJECT: Weather forecast for Ammonia Tank incident: Lime Tree Bay, St Croix. This is a site-specific forecast develop[ed specifically for this incident by the National Weather Service. FORECAST: This Afternoon: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 81. South southeast winds between 8 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%. Tonight: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. East southeast wind between 8 and 13 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Sunday: Scattered showers and possible […]”
Up-Date: Tank has stopped discharging
Source report excerpt: “USCG San Juan has reported that as of approximantely 1500-1530h local, no more bubbling was observed from the submerged broken valve. The NRC report said the incident occured about 0945 local, so the release seems to have been over approximately 5 1/2 hours duration. Responders (fire department) in level A PPE are to attempt to secure the tank frame to the side of the ship (MV Tropic Unity) so that the fuel barge (HG42) could be moved from the site. If that was successful, responders were going to monitor the tank for an unknown period of time before attempting to lift it from the water. Jim Jeansonne, NOAA SSCr.”
Situation Update and Final-Sunday 22Mar09, 1100EDT
Source report excerpt: “Per conversations with Sector San Juan watch officer, as of Saturday evening, the fueling barge (Hygrade 42) with IFO-380 fuel was to be relocated to the HOVENSA terminal for offloading of its fuel and inspection for damage. The ammonia tank had fallen onto the barge and then wedged between it and the container ship (MV Tropic Unity). As of Sunday morning, the watch officer had no further information on the barge status. The ammonia intermodal tank had been secured by ropes to the side of the ship Saturday afternoon after it stopped venting. It remains hanging partly in the water with its broken valve submerged in the same position as of this time. Responders are awaiting a team that can […]”
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Details in the record
- Source record
- NOAA IncidentNews 7998[1]
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Automatically assembled from NOAA's incident record and substantive Public Affairs or Situation Update posts. Dates are NOAA posting dates, which can differ from when events happened or original reports were published. Excerpts retain the source's wording and uncertainty. This account does not independently establish the cause, current outcome or safety of the area. NOAA coverage is selective; missing updates do not mean nothing happened. The map shows one approximate incident area, not a vessel track.
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Original sources
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- 1.Ammonia Tank Released; Lime Tree Bay, St. Croix ↗NOAA Office of Response and Restoration · 21 Mar 2009
- 2.Weather forecast: 3/21 ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 21 Mar 2009
- 3.Up-Date: Tank has stopped discharging ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 21 Mar 2009
- 4.Situation Update and Final-Sunday 22Mar09, 1100EDT ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 22 Mar 2009
Related records in our archive
Original source text, preserved separately from this account.
NOAAORR-7998 NOAA response record
Ammonia Tank Released; Lime Tree Bay, St. Croix. Lime Tree Bay, St. Croix. 1. During transfer, a 8000 lb. Anhydrous Ammonia intermodal tank was dropped, and is now wedged between a Bunkering Barge and the ship. It is partially submerged, and there is ammonia bubbling up. 2. THREAT: CHEMICAL. 3. POSITION 17.699N 064.747W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 7998: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/7998Open record and warning history →
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