NEWARK, N.Y., Jan. 24 The Newark Bay section of New York Harbor was closed Thursday afternoon after a tanker loaded with orange juice collided with a dredging vessel.
More than four hours after the 2 p.m. collision, the Coast Guard was unsure when the bay would be reopened to shipping, the Star-Ledger of Newark reported.
Investigators were trying to determine how the accident occurred. The vessels involved were a dredger with a crew of five and the 669-foot Orange Sun, a Liberian-flagged tanker with a crew of seven.
No injuries were reported. Petty Officer Seth Johnson, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said no spills of oil or orange juice were apparent, although there was a light sheen on the water, possibly from hydraulic fluid.
Newark Bay lies between Bayonne and Newark in New Jersey. Port Newark-Elizabeth, on the bay, is the major container terminal in New York Harbor and the world's 15th busiest port.
Edward Kelly, executive director of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey, said the closing would not be a problem if it is a short one.
Copyright 2008 by UPI
