May 6, 2011

Chairman Debbie Hersman, Member Mark Rosekind and staff traveled to Port Arthur, TX, April 5-6, 2011, in advance of the Board’s consideration later this year of the Eagle Otome accident report.  The visit included a 25 mile transit aboard the Eagle Sibu, an 800 foot, 105,000 ton crude oil tankship as it made its way through the Sabine-Neches river channel and discussions with pilots from the Sabine Pilots association about the operational and navigational challenges of navigating a large ship through the waterway.  The group also toured the U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service facility at Port Arthur.