Texas Oil Spill Underlines Inherent Tanker Risk

The January 23, 2010 Port Arthur, Texas oil tanker spill involving the MV Eagle Otome and a barge highlights the fact that in spite of rigorous international and American safety standards, accidents can and do still happen. In this case, an undetermined amount of crude oil leaked from the tanker into the water, in spite of the fact that the MV Eagle is double-hulled.

The whole idea of a double hulls is to prevent oil spills in the event a tanker's outer hull or 'skin' as it is called, is punctured. In this case, the extra layer didn't help, at least not completely. Of course it is always possible that the second skin prevented a larger oil escape from happening. But, obviously, complete protection was not achieved.