Tug Barge Sinks in Houston Ship Channel

A small section of the upper Houston Ship Channel was closed to deep draft ship traffic on Monday after a tug and barge sank.

The Annie Moon is a small 25-foot harbor tug and the barge is about 200-feet long. It was carrying sheets of 60 to 80-foot long, two-foot wide and a half inch thick sheets of metal.

A U.S. Coast Guard team deployed to the scene determined that approximately 20 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from the tug, which was carrying about 300 gallons. The area has been boomed off to contain and recover any additional spill while the vessels are being recovered.

The 1,000 yard long section of the channel, located about two miles east of the Interstate 610 bridge across from the Kinder Morgan terminals in Galena Park, remains open to barge traffic one at a time. 

Big John, the Big John Marine heavy lift cargo crane, is scheduled to lift the sunken tug and barge. 

The cause of the incident is under investigation.