NC Port of Morehead City Reopened After Cleanup Delays

The United States Coast Guard has reopened The Port of Morehead City terminal and adjacent waterways.

The Port of Morehead City was closed last Tuesday after an accident occurred when a forklift operator punctured several 110-pound containers of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) causing the highly explosive contents to leak out. The port was expected to be operational last week but was not opened until Tuesday morning.

The NC State Ports Authority, in tandem with Carteret County first responders, emergency management officials and the United States Coast Guard worked diligently to secure the port and surrounding area and ensure the utmost safety in exercising the removal of the hazardous material.

The cleanup, performed under direct supervision of the USCG, involved evacuating the port and surrounding area. Highway 70 from 4th Street to Beaufort was shutdown while crews established a two-nautical-mile temporary safety zone. Highway 70 reopened Tuesday evening after 12 hours, but the port remained closed.

In an afternoon news conference last Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said the cleanup at the Port of Morehead City continued to move forward safely and efficiently, however, additional damaged cylinders were discovered during overnight operations inside containers on site along with a small amount of residue inside the larger containers carrying the cylinders.

“The NC State Ports Authority’s first concern for the State Ports in Morehead City and Wilmington is for the safety of its employees, tenants, customers, and the public,” said CEO Thomas J. Eagar.

The accident occurred during a routine discharge of a commercial ship at port but no injuries or damages to the environment were reported. The barrels arrived in North Carolina inside a 40-foot shipping container. According to official reports, the PETN was an approved shipment from Maxam, an explosives manufacturer based in Spain.

The waterways around Morehead City remain open.