Tanker Has Tough Time Navigating Mississippi River Near New Orleans

MT Nordbay. Photo credit: Ria Maat/MarineTraffic.com

An unladen tanker had a tough time navigating the Mississippi River near New Orleans on Tuesday, crashing into a water tank tower followed by a pier before anchoring.

The U.S. Coast Guard reports that the oil products tanker Nordbay struck the Jefferson Parish water intake located at mile marker 104, then went on to hit the Governor Nicholls Street Wharf while en-route to the New Orleans General Anchorage.

The vessel sustained a hole in the hull, which reportedly discharged ballast water, according to the Coast Guard. There were no reports of pollution.

AIS on Wednesday showed the ship at anchor in the Mississippi River near New Orleans. 

The incident is under investigation.

The Cyprus-flagged Nordbay measures 249 meters long and has a deadweight of 116,000 tons. The ship is managed by the Reederei Nord Group.

Update: An update from the U.S. Coast Guard said the tanker hit the New Orleans water intake pilings and a derelict wharf near Spain Street and Crescent Park. The Nordbay sustained damaged in the allisions. 

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