MOLs Istra Ace Suspected of Oil Spill in LA

SLPA A large car carrier owned by the Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) is linked to an oil spill in the Port of Los Angeles. Namely, an unknown quantity of oil was reported on Sunday to be coming from the Bahamas-flagged car carrier identified as Istra Ace in the Cerritos channel near berth 212 and across the east basin to berth 192, the United States Coast Guard, which is investigating the incident, reported. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, a LAFD Hazmat and USCG team boarded the ship to identify material and ensure situation is static and no life hazard exists. The Coast Guard has also issued a safety zone restricting vessel traffic in the affected area. USCG said that the responsible party has contracted a response team to assist in efforts to contain the oil, and based on the latest update from LAFD, the leak has been stopped and booms have been placed to contain the substance. Coast Guard investigators from Sector Los Angeles/Long Beach along with members of California Fish and Wildlife, Los Angeles Port Police and Los Angeles County Fire are currently investigating the report.