Spills

On October.29, 1998, a crewman welding aboard the 557-foot tank ship champion trader triggered an explosion…

Champion Trader; Mississippi River · Mississippi River · NOAAORR-7345

issued
1998-10-29 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1998-11-12 00:00Z
self-cancels
1998-11-12 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Mexico
position
27.100, -87.267
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

CHAMPION TRADER; Mississippi River.
Mississippi River.
1. On October.29, 1998, a crewman welding aboard the 557-foot tank ship Champion Trader triggered an explosion in the #7 port-side cargo tank. The explosion tore a 40 x 30-foot hole in the side of the ship. The explosion killed one crew member and injured four others and caused the release of approximately 3000 gallons of IFO 380 and 3,100 barrels of palm kernel oil, stearin. USCG district 8. Keyword: vegetable oil.
2. COMMODITY: IFO-180 AND PALM KERNEL OIL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 3000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 27.100N 087.267W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 7345: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/7345

This area · spills & pollution incidents

343 within 180 nm since 1970 · 16 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now

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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

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