Spills

At approximately midnight on september 3, 1988, the esso puerto rico, newly loaded with carbon-black…

T/v Esso Puerto Rico; Mississippi River · Mississippi River · NOAAORR-6612

issued
1988-09-03 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1988-09-17 00:00Z
self-cancels
1988-09-17 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Mexico
position
29.970, -90.393
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

T/V ESSO PUERTO RICO; Mississippi River.
Mississippi River.
1. At approximately midnight on September 3, 1988, the ESSO Puerto Rico, newly loaded with carbon-black feedstock at EXXON Corporation's Baton Rouge facility, was en route down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel struck a submerged object at mile marker 114, opening a starboard tank that released 23,000 barrels of material. A hole measuring 14 inches by more than 32 feet resulted in the bulk of the material being released within approximately 45 minutes over 10 miles travel downriver. The U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO), New Orleans, was notified of the spill and the vessel was anchored at mile marker 75. The feedstock material spilled was not visible at the water surface and, except for small, rainbow sheens of about 12 inches in diameter developing near the anchor site and the severely listing vessel, no other evidence of a spill was apparent. USCG [...]
2. COMMODITY: CARBON-BLACK FEEDSTOCK. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 966000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 29.970N 090.393W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6612: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6612

This area · spills & pollution incidents

1114 within 180 nm since 1970 · 40 in the last 12 months · 2 in force now

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Timeline · 4 messages since 1988-09-03 · closed 1988-10-15

  1. Mississippi river, louisiana1988-09-03 → 1988-09-17
  2. At approximately midnight on september 3, 1988, the esso puerto rico, newly loaded with carbon-black… this message1988-09-03 → 1988-09-17
  3. New orleans, louisiana1988-09-10 → 1988-09-24
  4. In late september 1988, approximately 100 barrels of sweet crude oil leaked from an m&v production company…1988-10-01 → 1988-10-15

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Worldwide now

8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.