New Orleans Port Wins Warrant to Control Tanker After River Collision

A federal judge granted the Port of New Orleans a warrant on Friday to assume control of the tanker Atlantic Asphalt. The legal move came just hours after the vessel lost steering and collided with a docked cruise ship in the Mississippi River. The port filed the suit to ensure federal investigators could seize the ship, which is owned by a subsidiary of a Chinese corporation.

The collision occurred Friday, sending the American Heritage cruise ship onto its side against a terminal. All 197 passengers and crew members on the cruise ship, as well as the tanker crew, survived the incident. Hospital records show that 32 people were treated for injuries, including two police officers who fell into the river. No injuries were classified as critical, and eight individuals remained hospitalized as of Saturday.

Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham stated that the exact cause of the crash remains unknown, though the tanker appeared to lose steering. The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched investigators to New Orleans to examine the event. Burnham noted that river traffic is currently limited, but vessels should soon be able to move both upstream and downstream.

The American Heritage remains on its side, and officials estimate it could take weeks to right the vessel. A primary focus is the safe removal of 16,000 gallons of fuel from the boat. Joe Knab, a passenger on the cruise, described the moment the ship rolled, sending him and approximately 100 others into the 66-degree water. Knab, a former Navy member, said he was in the river for about 15 minutes and survived because the crew had already distributed life vests.

New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll credited the early use of life vests with saving lives. She explained that having the passengers wear the vests allowed them to float safely while rescuers retrieved them from the water. Tugboat operators, police, and nearby workers all assisted in the rescue efforts.

The Atlantic Asphalt is a 520-foot vessel that specializes in carrying asphalt and bitumen for construction use. It was sailing under a Marshall Islands flag with a final destination in New Orleans. The ship is owned by Nave Shipping SA, a company registered in Liberia. According to shipping data, Nave Shipping is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a state-owned Chinese conglomerate.

The port’s lawsuit claimed the tanker caused at least $1 million in damage to its terminal. Nave Shipping SA was named as one of the defendants in the Friday filing. The China State Shipbuilding Corporation did not respond to an emailed request for comment regarding the incident.