The U.S. Coast Guard is mopping up an 1,100-gallon diesel spill in the Columbia River at Astoria, where a freighter struck a pier early Friday.
Petty Officer Levi Read, spokesman for Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, said the MV Global Gold crashed into the Port of Astoria's Pier 1 around 12:50 a.m. The Panamanian-flagged ship's hull was pierced while docking, releasing the ship's fuel into the river.
No injuries were reported and no animals showed any obvious effects from the spill.
Read said containment booms were placed around the spill, along with absorbent pads on the shoreline near the pier to soak up the diesel.
"Luckily, diesel is much easier to clean up than oil," Read said. "Unlike oil, it floats. It also evaporates." Read said the 565-foot bulk carrier sustained a four-foot gash in its port side, above the water line.
A security company initially reported the spill to the Coast Guard. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Washington State Department of Ecology, the shipping agent and the Clean Rivers Cooperative Inc. are working with the Coast Guard to clean up the spill.
The Global Gold was scheduled to load lumber at the Port of Astoria for the next few days. The ship vessel will be detained at its current location until repairs can be made.
The Coast Guard's investigation is continuing.
Petty Officer Levi Read, spokesman for Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, said the MV Global Gold crashed into the Port of Astoria's Pier 1 around 12:50 a.m. The Panamanian-flagged ship's hull was pierced while docking, releasing the ship's fuel into the river.
No injuries were reported and no animals showed any obvious effects from the spill.
Read said containment booms were placed around the spill, along with absorbent pads on the shoreline near the pier to soak up the diesel.
"Luckily, diesel is much easier to clean up than oil," Read said. "Unlike oil, it floats. It also evaporates." Read said the 565-foot bulk carrier sustained a four-foot gash in its port side, above the water line.
A security company initially reported the spill to the Coast Guard. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Washington State Department of Ecology, the shipping agent and the Clean Rivers Cooperative Inc. are working with the Coast Guard to clean up the spill.
The Global Gold was scheduled to load lumber at the Port of Astoria for the next few days. The ship vessel will be detained at its current location until repairs can be made.
The Coast Guard's investigation is continuing.