Crews work to clean up fuel spill at PortMiami

MIAMI – Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard worked to clean up a fuel spill at PortMiami Saturday afternoon, according to the agency.

Just after 2 p.m., the agency tweeted about the spill, saying the responsible party and the local facility were at the scene.

The spill appeared to be concentrated near the port’s container terminal, based on photos tweeted out by the Coast Guard.

In a subsequent tweet Saturday evening, the Coast Guard identified the source of the spill as the M/V AS Sabrina.

“The M/V AS Sabrina reportedly activated their spill response plan at approx. 6 p.m. (Friday), after they reported a discharge of product into the water during fueling operations,” the agency tweeted. “(A boom) is deployed around the vessel as local responders (continue) clean up operations.”

According to BalticShipping.com, the 18,000-ton container ship was built in 2009 and is registered in Liberia. It is owned by Univan Ship Management out of Hong Kong and was previously known as the “Maersk Westport,” the website says.

The Coast Guard did not say just how much fuel leaked into Biscayne Bay.

The agency encouraged mariners to “use extra caution transiting the area and give crews space to work.”