Over 160,000 gallons of fuel spilled from a disabled barge off the coast of Texas last week, and now all of the traffic in and out of the Port of Texas City has been halted. While crews are at work to contain the spill and clean up the area, local and national businesses are feeling the pain. For those businesses affected by the spill, a Houston maritime attorney may be the answer.
What happens when you have to shut down maritime traffic in or out of the Port of Texas City for a day? Well, two large oil tankers were trapped in port, unable to make their deliveries. Several cruise ships were stuck both in and out of port, delaying paying customers’ vacations and returns, and that’s not all.
It’s been estimated that the port sees between 25 and 30 ships entering and leaving each day. These ships make deliveries to and from local businesses, which feed the local economy. The pinch felt from being unable to send or receive these deliveries could spell doom for some companies.
So, is the accident the fault of the owners of the disabled barge that leaked the fuel out into the harbor area? Should that company and their insurance be responsible for all of the losses involved? A Houston maritime attorney, like one of the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, may be able to sort out who is at fault and who should pay for which damages.
This is not a cut-and-dried case. It’s too soon to tell if there will be much impact on the local economy or if the owner of the leaky vessel can be held responsible for losses to businesses not directly tied to the port. If you’ve been directly or indirectly affected by an accident like this, you should call a Houston maritime attorney today to find out your rights and what you can do for compensation.
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