CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Passengers riding the Port Aransas ferry this morning got an up-close-and-personal view of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker.
Robert Caughron witnessed the incident and took video on his cell phone. The video shows passengers waiting at the ferry dock moving away as the supertanker approches within feet of the dock.
"At approximately 9 a.m., and inbound LNG vessel sounded its danger signal," said Texas Department of Transportation public information officer Rickey Dailey. "The captain and crew of the ferry evacuated people on foot."
Witnesses say the tanker traveling through the Port Aransas jetties had difficulty completing a turn, and came too close to the ferry landing on the outgoing (Port Aransas) side. Only passengers on one ferry were affected, but Dailey said no contact or collision was made.
(The captain and crew) responded as they're trained to do," Dailey said.
The ship has been identified as the Kinisis. The supertanker has a Liberian registry and was built in 2018.
The 805 foot long Kinisis is currently docked at the Cheniere facility in Ingleside.
Cheniere released a statement Monday afternoon regarding the incident.
We take concerns from the community, and the safe navigation of all vessels, very seriously.
What we learned from the pilots is that – while operating in coordination with the Coast Guard and the Port Authority – the ship took a wider turn than usual at Harbor Island due to the placement of another vessel in the channel. The vessel was always in control.
As is our standard protocol, three Cheniere tugs were assisting with the safe navigation and maneuvering through the waterway, the vessel horn was signaled as a precaution, and communication was ongoing between the pilots and applicable parties. We understand the concern, and if you have additional questions please feel free to contact Community@cheniere.com or call (888) 371-3607.
The Port of Copru
