Ship collision shuts Mississippi River

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A collision between a chemical tanker and a fuel barge on the Mississippi River spilled over 400,000 gallons of fuel oil and prompted the U.S. Coast Guard to close a 29-mile stretch of the waterway around New Orleans, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

The river remained closed between Mile Marker 99, near the Harvey Canal, and Mile Marker 70, downstream from New Orleans, as of 11 a.m. CDT (5 p.m. British time).

Vessel traffic was halted after the 1:30 a.m. CDT (7:30 a.m. British time) collision in which the MV Tintomara cut in half an American Commercial Lines barge loaded with No. 6 fuel oil.

About 420,000 gallons of thick, slow-to-evaporate fuel spilled from the barge, but nothing leaked from the Tintomara, officials said.

A sheen at least 12 miles long spread down river, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said efforts were being made to minimize the impact on air and water quality and wildlife.

Drinking water intakes were diverted or closed in the area and citizens were asked to conserve water use to maximize supplies on hand pending resumption of water treatment operations, the New Orleans water department said.

Cleanup crews spread booms, which are floating barriers, to try to contain the oil and keep it out of sensitive areas, said Jean Kelly, spokeswoman for the state environmental agency.

State staff were at the scene and still gathering details of the environmental impact, she said.

"We have a lot of wildlife in the southern delta," Kelly said.