IMTT-BAYONNE

Incident Narrative

TANK 5188 WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE AND WAS TO BE FILLED WITH ALKYLATE FROM THE VESSEL 'M/V PETALI LADY'. WHILE DOING HIS ROUTINE WALK AROUND TANK 5188 AT APPROXIMATELY 2015 HOURS, THE OPERATOR NOTICED PRODUCT LEAKING FROM THE RED LINE VALVE ON THE TANK. THE OPERATOR IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE SHIP DOWN. WHEN THE SUPERVISOR ARRIVED AT THE TANK HE SAW WHAT WAS A SMALL STEADY STREAM COMING FROM THE TANK SIDE OF THE VALVE. THE STREAM WAS TRAVELING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TANK AND DROPPING INTO THE SEWER LEADING TO THE YARD 5 RETENTION POND. AN ALL CALL OUT FOR THE ERT AND INSTRUCTED THE ERT TO BRING LADDER TRUCK 14 TO THE SCENE IN CASE WE NEEDED TO FOAM THE AREA. HOWEVER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FOAM WAS NOT NEEDED FOR THIS RELEASE. IMTT MAINTENANCE WAS CALLED TO TIGHTEN THE LEAKING FLANGE. A MECHANIC FROM WEST MAINTENANCE WAS CALLED TO THE TANK AS WELL TO TRY AND STOP THE LEAK, THE MECHANIC WAS SUCCESSFUL AND THE LEAK STOPPED AT APPROXIMATELY 2130. US ECOLOGY WAS CALLED IN FOR THE CLEAN UP AROUND THE TANK VALVES AND THEIR VAC TRUCK WAS CALLED IN TO SKIM THE YARD 5 RETENTION POND AS WELL AS THE SEWER CONTAINMENT AT 5188. APPROXIMATELY 420 BARRELS OF WATER AND 30 GALLONS OF ALKYLATE WERE REMOVED FROM THE RETENTION POND AND SEWER CONTAINMENT. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE BOLTS ON THE TANK VALVE WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED IN ACCORDANCE TO IMTT'S PROCEDURE. ADDITIONALLY, CAP BOLTS WERE NOT INSTALLED. THE MAINTENANCE CREW THAT ORIGINALLY INSTALLED THE VALVE AND INCORRECT BOLTS HAD THE COVERED TASKS UNDER IMTT'S OQ PROGRAM SUSPENDED UNTIL THEY COULD BE RE-TRAINED AND RE-QUALIFIED. 09/24/2024 - UPDATED BY PHMSA PER OPERATOR APPROVAL.