Kirby 8044, am empty barge, lodged into the Ocean Freedom, a 480-foot cargo ship in the inner harbor of the Port of Corpus Christi on Oct. 29. A $300 million capital improvement project would make the ship channel safer, says port commissioners. Photo U.S. Coast Guard
An empty barge and a ship carrying a load of steel collided in the inner harbor of the Port of Corpus Christi at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. No pollutants were released into the water according to a report by the U.S. Coast Guard. A Port Aransas-based Coast Guard crew responded to the collision.
The Kirby 28044 barge is owned by Kirby Inland Marine, which collided with the Ocean Freedom, a 480-foot cargo ship. One person was taken to the hospital with a knee injury. No other injuries were reported. The barge was attached to the tugboat Nueces.
No cause for the collision has been reported. A Coast Guard press release stated that an investigation is underway that includes the guard, the Corpus Christi Police Department and the Port of Corpus Christi Police Department. Both vessels are mooring at NuStar Energy Dock 16 for investigation.
The collision did interfere with ship traffic in the inner harbor, which reopen to traffic Friday morning.
