Spills

Z-102; ensenada de boca vieja, san juan, puerto rico

NOAAORR-6226

issued
1975-12-09 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1975-12-23 00:00Z
self-cancels
1975-12-23 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
North Atlantic Ocean
position
18.467, -66.133
vessel
BARGE AFFECTED THE BEACHES
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Z-102; Ensenada de Boca Vieja, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Ensenada de Boca Vieja, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1. On December 9, 1975, the tank barge Z-102 grounded at the mouth of the Ensenada de Boca Vieja, northwest of the entrance to San Juan Harbor. The unmanned barge was loaded with 10,476 barrels of Bunker C and 2,403 barrels of diesel fuel oil when its tow line broke. Attempts to free the vessel from the surf line failed. Heavy surf pounded the vessel for over a week, eventually damaging all ten of the cargo tanks. An estimated 7,679 barrels of Bunker C and diesel fuel were released during the next 30 days. The barge was eventually lightered and beached. Oil released from the barge affected the beaches within the Ensenada de Boca Vieja. Beaches at Punta Salinas and Levittown were the most heavily oiled. The release of oil and subsequent cleanup operations occurred over a prolonged period, from December 9 to February 5, 1976. Beach restoration in the form of sand replacement continued until [...]
2. COMMODITY: BUNKER C, DIESEL FUEL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 323000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 18.467N 066.133W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6226: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6226

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