USCG responds to collapsed dock near Indiana Harbor
A dock located at Arcelor Mittal in Burns Harbor, Ind., buckled during an offload of product of the motor vessel Algoma Transport, Sept. 25, 2012, the USCG news release said.
Marine investigators from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Chicago received the report of the collapsed dock at 6 a.m.
The collapse was apparently caused by the weight of a product known as mill scale from the facility. The mill scale shifted, causing the dock to cave in.
At the time of the collapse, the motor vessel Algoma Transport, a Canadian freight ship, was moored at the dock conducting cargo operations. The partial collapse of the pier caused the vessel to ground at the dock.
Coast Guard personnel are working with representatives from Arcelor Mittal to investigate the incident and monitor the condition of the pier. The Coast Guard worked with a salvage master from North American Marine to safely free the grounded vessel.
There have been no injuries or pollution reported as a result of the pier collapse. Damage assessments of the collapsed dock and the Algoma Transport are pending.
“The situation could have been much worse, and we’re thankful that there haven’t been any personnel casualties as a result of the dock collapse,” said Cmdr. Jason Neubauer, commanding officer of Marine Safety Unit Chicago.
“We are currently coordinating a structural assessment of the vessel at a safe berth and working with Arcelor Mittal to stabilize conditions at their facility.”
The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1790 the Coast Guard has safeguarded our Nation's maritime interests and environment around the world. The Coast Guard is an adaptable, responsive military force of maritime professionals whose broad legal authorities, capable assets, geographic diversity and expansive partnerships provide a persistent presence along our rivers, in the ports, littoral regions and on the high seas. Coast Guard presence and impact is local, regional, national and international. These attributes make the Coast Guard a unique instrument of maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship.
