A union has cited fuel issues as a likely cause of a 2015 collision between two vessels leading to a chemical spill in the Houston Ship Channel.
The Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that the Houston Pilots Association challenged a federal review that blamed pilot errors.
The National Transportation Safety Board, in a report this month about the March 2015 accident, urged Houston officials to emphasize better communication and bridge management. Officials also cited heavy fog when the Conti Peridot struck a chemical tanker, the Carla Maersk.
Union officials responded by saying the accident was most likely caused by a switch to ultralow-sulphur fuel oil, leading the Conti Peridot to unexpectedly lose power seconds before the accident.
About 88,000 gallons of a flammable chemical spilled. Nobody was injured.
