Harbor’s Main Channel Reopened After Oil Spill

The main channel of the Los Angeles Harbor was reopened Thursday but ships were barred from entering a smaller side channel as crews worked to clean up a nearly 1,700-gallon oil spill, authorities said. The oil was spilled by a South Korean-flagged freighter shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Clean-up efforts were initiated. But after a rainstorm Wednesday, additional slicks were discovered between the Vincent Thomas and Henry Ford bridges. The discovery of the new slicks prompted authorities to close the main shipping channel, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Mark Lewack said.

The channel was reopened at 11 a.m. Thursday, but the smaller Cerritos channel was expected to remain closed until Friday.

Coast Guard officials said that despite the closure, there was no significant interruption in vessel traffic. The Coast Guard said it considered the spill to be minor.