Coast Guard responds to a LNG tank ship aground near Guayanilla, Puerto Rico

DATE: December 15, 2009 10:20:15 AM EST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

US COAST GUARD

News Release

Contact: Lt. j.g. Rebecca Deakin

Sector San Juan Public Affairs

(787) 501-3332

Coast Guard responds to a LNG tank ship aground near Guayanilla, Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Coast Guard Marine Investigators are investigating the cause that led to the grounding of the 920-foot double-hulled Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tank ship Matthew Tuesday.

The Norwegian flag tank ship grounded at 6 15 a.m. and was later refloated Tuesday morning, approximately a half nautical mile southeast of Cayo Caribe near Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. There are no reports or sightings of pollution at this time.

The vessel was later refloated whent the tank ship crew transferred cargo from the vessel’s forward to its aft cargo tanks allowing the vessel to successfully float free. The Matthew is now moored at the Eco Electrica facility, where underwater hull integrity assessments are scheduled to be conducted by contract divers.

Sector San Juan Coast Guard command center controllers were alerted Tuesday morning after receiving a report that the vessel had grounded onto rocks during their inbound transit to Guayanilla.

Coast Guard marine inspectors and pollution investigators from Regional Inspection Office Ponce and Sector San Juan are providing support on scene. Coast Guard controllers launched an Air Station Borinquen, Puerto Rico, HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist.

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