Sabine Neches Tanker Accident: Pilot Failed to Inform Tugboat Operator He Was off Course

A formal hearing by the US Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board is throwing up several new facts about the tanker-tugboat accident that occurred in the Sabine-Neches Waterway this January. By the second day of the hearing, maritime lawyers had learned that the tanker pilot did not inform the tugboat operator that he was on a collision course with the tugboat. The hearings into the tugboat-tanker accident will go on for about 10 days. We may then expect a report by the National Transportation Safety Board into the causes of the accident.

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Malacca Strait Tankers at Risk for Terrorism

Tankers in the Malacca Strait may face terrorist attacks similar to the 2002 suicide attack on the French tanker Limburg.  Malaysia and Indonesia announced today that they are stepping up security in the Strait of Malacca pursuant to naval advisories in the area. 

The Malacca Strait is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.  The  narrow waterway is used by tankers use to carry oil from the Middle East to Japan and China.  The strait is only 1.7 miles wide at its narrowest point, which makes it extremely vulnerable to terrorist attacks.  The 900-km long (550 miles) Malacca Strait carries about 40% of the world's trade with more than 50,000 merchant ships traveling it each year.

Wire services are quoting the Singapore Shipping Association as saying it has received an advisory from the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Center about "an indication that a terrorist group is planning attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca Strait" and that "this does not preclude possible attacks on other large vessels with dangerous cargo."

Terrorists could possibly use smaller vessels such as dinghies and speedboats to attack oil tankers.

Ships are advised to strengthen onboard security measures, and the Navy recommends that ships add lookouts and lighting, avoid fishing areas and maintain a good speed.

An attack that closed the Strait of Malacca or the Singapore port even temporarily could have a disproportionate impact on global trade.  "Maritime attacks offer terrorists an alternate means of causing mass economic destabilization," terrorism risk analyst Peter Chalk.

The possible after-effects of a terror attack could include additional raises in already high maritime insurance rates, shipments of vital commodities being severely disrupted, and a very scary idea of an oil supertanker being commandeered and turned into a floating bomb.

Despite the potential dangers and the very obvious terror warnings, maritime employer show no signs of backing down their travel in this area.  A spokeswoman for Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, the country's second-biggest shipping firm, said the warning would not cause it to change operations. "I don't think we would change the route. Basically the area is dangerous, so we have been taking precautions."

On October 6, 2002, the Limburg (mentioned above) was carrying 397,000 barrels of crude oil from Iran to Malaysia, and was in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen to pick up another load of oil.  While offshore, an explosives-laden dinghy rammed the starboard side of the tanker and detonated.  The vessel caught on fire and approximately 90,000 barrels of oil leaked into the Gulf of Aden.   One crew member was killed, and 12 other crew members were injured.  The damage to the tanker was around $45 million dollars.

The Malacca Strait has suffered from long-term maritime piracy problems as well.  For more information on maritime piracy, please contact Dennis McElwee at Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, LLP or click on our web site.  We have handled international maritime cases, including cases involving injuries on almost every waterway, for over 45 years.  If you need more information about issues related to maritime terrorism or maritime piracy, email us at info@smslegal.com.

Possible Causes of Tanker-Barge Accident off Texas Coast

A maritime collision between a tanker and a barge off the Texas coast has caused a massive oil spill in the port of Port Arthur. The southbound barge collided with the northbound tanker in the Sabine-Naches waterway near the Valero refinery. The maritime attorneys at SMSH represent injured tankermen, cooks, deckhands, welders, electricians and other crew members of tankers or freighters, recover compensation for their injuries.

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Port Arthur is the Largest Oil Spill in Texas Since 1994

Crews worked Sunday to protect two sensitive wildlife areas after a crude oil spill shut down parts of a major southeast Texas port. The tanker involved is owned by AET Tankers, a Malaysian company with offices in Houston, Texas. Right now, it is reported that AET will pay for most of the cleanup. If you are injured while working offshore, you must consult with an experienced maritime lawyer about your case. Our firm handles cases in all fifty states of the United States and around the world and has done so for over 45 years. We are the expert maritime attorneys at Schechter McElwee Shaffer and Harris, and we represent injured offshore workers. Contact us for a free legal consultation at 1-800-282-2122 or via email at info@smslegal.com.

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Port Arthur, Texas Ship Collision Closes Intercoastal Waterway

Three vessels collided in Port Arthur, Texas yesterday. Parts of the intracoastal waterway near the Port of Port Arthur, Texas were closed after the Saturday morning collision. About 450,000 gallons of crude oil spilled when a 600-foot oil tanker collided bound for Exxon Mobil Corp.'s Beaumont, Texas refinery with an outbound towing vessel pushing a loaded barge. The tanker's power had gone out and the captain was no logner able to control the movements of the large vessel. The companies that own and operate the vessels involved in this collision as well as the United States Coast Guard are in the process of investigating the causes of the accident. Whoever caused the collision may be held liable for property damage to any vessels or equipment and any injuries caused. Our firm has handled many injury cases stemming from vessel collisions and recently concluded a six-figure settlement for an injury that occurred when two vessels collided in the Mississippi River near New Orleans, Louisiana. If you are injured while working offshore, you must consult with an experienced maritime lawyer about your case. Our firm handles cases in all fifty states of the United States and around the world and has done so for over 45 years. We are the expert maritime attorneys at Schechter McElwee Shaffer and Harris, and we represent injured offshore workers. Contact us for a free legal consultation at 1-800-282-2122 or via email at info@smslegal.com.

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Diver Killed in Commercial Diving Accident in Florida

Commercial diver died in Florida accident with commercial diving vessel engaged in underwater exploration and survey. Diver was working near wreck site east of Rodriguez Key and fell unconscious. Our Jones Act Lawyers represent workers injured while working on the water.

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No Accident as Dallas Tanker Truck Driver Drives Wrong Way

It's hard to imagine what motorists on the Sam Rayburn Tollway in Dallas must have thought when they saw a tanker truck headed towards them in the opposite direction. Luckily, the truck driver did not hit any vehicles as he drove the wrong way. According to news reports, the tanker had struck a pickup truck. The driver then decided that he needed to inform a police officer about the accident. It's beyond odd that the driver could simply make a U-turn on a busy highway, and proceed to drive his massive rig in the opposite direction from dozens of vehicles on a busy Thursday afternoon. He has now been arrested on suspicion of DWI.

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