Maltese-flagged vessel spills fuel in Mississippi

The Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority is investigating a minor spill involving the Malta-flagged vessel Jimilta II in the Mississippi River, US, last Sunday. The Jimilta II - anchored in the Mississippi River, west of New Orleans - sustained a fuel tank overflow during bunkering operations with consequent deck and river minor pollution.

The master immediately informed the owners and agents P&I Club, the US Coast Guard and the flag state and acted immediately to initiate required procedures to avoid further river contamination spill from the deck spillage.

Upon examination of the incident, the Coast Guard's technical team concluded that the amount of spillage was about 10 barrels on deck and about five barrels in the river and, thus, considered of minor impact.

The vessel was fined by the Coast Guard and was released after clean-up operations were completed.