Port sues to seize control of 520-foot tanker after $1 million crash damage

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans filed a lawsuit on Friday to gain legal control of the Atlantic Asphalt tanker. The legal action sought to allow federal investigators to seize the vessel, which is owned by a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned conglomerate. A judge issued a warrant on Friday granting federal officials temporary control of the ship.

The lawsuit alleged that the tanker caused at least $1 million in damage to the port terminal. The vessel, which measures 520 feet in length, had lost steering before it slammed into the docked American Heritage cruise ship. The crash occurred on the Mississippi River just hours before the port initiated legal proceedings.

All 197 passengers and crew members on the cruise ship survived the incident. The crew on the tanker also survived. Officials reported that 32 people were transported to hospitals following the collision. Among the injured were two police officers who were thrown into the river when the boat rolled. No injuries were classified as critical, and eight patients remained hospitalized as of Saturday.

Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham stated that the cruise ship remains turned on its side against a terminal. She told reporters that it could take weeks to move the vessel. The immediate priority is to safely remove 16,000 gallons of fuel from the boat. Traffic on the Mississippi River is currently limited, but Burnham said boats should be able to move both upstream and downstream soon.

The National Transportation Safety Board is sending investigators to New Orleans to determine the exact cause of the crash. Burnham said the tanker appeared to lose steering, but the specific reason for the failure is not yet known. The Atlantic Asphalt was sailing under a flag for the Marshall Islands and had New Orleans as its final destination.

The tanker is owned by Nave Shipping SA, a company registered in Monrovia, Liberia. According to shipping data, Nave Shipping is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation. The company did not respond to an emailed request for comment. The vessel specializes in carrying large quantities of asphalt and bitumen, materials used for road construction and roofing.

Passenger Joe Knab described the moments before the impact. He said the tanker blasted its horn several times as it floated toward the cruise ship. The collision caused the ship to lean immediately. Crew members gathered people on the third deck to put on life vests and begin evacuation. The boat suddenly rolled, sending Knab and approximately 100 other passengers and crew into the river.

The water temperature was 66 degrees Fahrenheit. Knab estimated he was in the water for about 15 minutes. He told WDSU-TV that he thought he was drowning because he kept bobbing underneath the surface. He noted that the water did not taste good. Knab, who has 20 years of experience in the Navy, said he was wearing a shirt from a Hilton hotel where passengers had gathered. His cellphone, which was covered in mud, still worked.

New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said that putting life vests on passengers before the boat turned into the water likely saved lives. She stated that having the population wear the vests and float upstream while rescuers retrieved them was a key factor in the outcome. Tugboat operators, other cruise ship captains, nearby workers, and police rushed to assist in the rescue effort.

The American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations. The ship remains at the site while crews work to stabilize it and remove the fuel. The port's legal move to seize the tanker aims to ensure that investigators can examine the vessel without delay. The cruise ship is expected to remain in its current position for several weeks.