Galveston – tanker listing and taking on water

The US Coast Guard issued a press release stating that the tanker SKS SATILLA, located approximately 65 miles south of Galveston, reported that it has developed an 8-degree port list due to taking on water in the ship’s ballast tanks. The tanker has a cargo of approximately 39.9 million gallons of crude oil. The ship is currently stable. There are no reports of injury or pollution. In addition to the Coast Guard and the ship’s owner, response operations are being conducted with the cooperation of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Minerals Management Service (MMS), and the Texas General Land Office (GLO). A short video of the tanker has also been released. The incident is under investigation. (3/6/09).