Barge Raised, Cleanup Complete in Harbor

The small barge that sunk in the harbor last weekend off Constitution Road has been recovered and the cleanup effort around the site is complete, according to officials at the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The barge sunk on May 17 in the early morning hours. The Coast Guard, along with Boston fire and  police officials responded. No one was injured, but the barge spilled oil into the harbor, nearby the USS Constitution. A boom was placed on the water's surface around the historic warship.

About 50 gallons of fuel oil was released into the water, according to Joe Ferson, a spokesman with the DEP. It has been removed, Ferson said, with no impact on the USS Constitution or environment. (Earlier reports said as much as 150 or 200 gallons of oil had been released. Following the cleanup, the state changed its estimate.)

State officials have determined that Constitution Marina, where the barge was docked, is responsible for the incident. The marina will absorb the expense of the cleanup effort. Officials were unable to say how much the cleanup has cost. 

Ferson, of the DEP, said the barge was "improperly moored." When the tide came in, he said, the barge was swamped and went under.

But Peter Davidoff, one of the owners at the marina, said it's unclear what caused the barge to sink. It was windy, he said, and the tide was very high. 

"Something else could have happened," he said. "We haven't determined yet why it got caught under the pier."

Within 24 hours, crews were able to remove the barge from the harbor, he said. 

"We're very happy with the response from everyone, the Coast Guard, fire and police departments," Davidoff said. "It was a small incident, relatively speaking."