Houston Ship Channel closed for spill cleanup

Two cargo vessels collided Monday, causing flammable chemicals to spill into waterway.    The Barbours Cut Container Terminal at the Port of Houston did not open as scheduled this morning as a precautionary measure following Monday’s collision between two cargo vessels in the Houston Ship Channel, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. A section of the Ship Channel from light 86 to the Fred Hartman Bridge remains closed to traffic.
   There are 26 ships waiting to come into Houston and 14 waiting to leave, the sea agency said.
   Hazmat teams are working to contain a spill that occurred when the MV Conti Peridot, a bulk vessel, collided with the chemical tanker Carla Maersk and punctured three of its tanks. The Carla Maersk was carrying about 216,000 barrels of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether.
   The cause of the accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.