Oil Sheen Spotted Near Bulk Carrier in Baltimore Harbor

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched an investigation into a potential oil spill on the Patapsco River in Baltimore Harbor. On Thursday evening, a 50-foot by 50-foot oil sheen was reported near the 623-foot Motor Vessel SSI Defiant, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier.

Coast Guard officials, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and other partner agencies, were conducting assessments aboard the anchored vessel in the Baltimore Inner Harbor. As a precautionary measure, a 1,500-foot safety zone has been established around the ship.

“The nature of the sheen and its cause is unknown at this time,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said. “We are conducting oversight and monitoring of the vessel’s pollution response measures to ensure adequate protection of the environment.”

The incident was first reported at approximately 6:24 p.m. on Thursday when Maryland Pilot Dispatch alerted Coast Guard watchstanders to an unknown sheen observed around the vessel following what the Coast Coast described as a “propulsion casualty.”

In response to the situation, authorities have conducted aerial surveys of the affected area, with additional overflights scheduled for Friday.

The SSI Defiant was still at the Baltimore anchorage as of Saturday.

The Coast Guard said that the investigation into the cause of the sheen is ongoing.

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