PORT ARTHUR — The ballroom at the Holiday Inn Park Central will be the backdrop for a formal hearing regarding a ship collision that shut down the waterway on Jan. 23.

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Kathleen Moore will preside over the hearing along with Cap. Rob Jones of the National Transportation Safety Board who is conducting a separate investigation into the incident.

The hearing is scheduled to being at 9 a.m. March 9 Holiday Inn Park Central, 2929 Jimmy Johnson Blvd. The hearing is open to the public but seating is limited.

A portion of the large room will be split off an area for the attorneys, a witness area and the commander, set to one side of the room, USCG Kim Kaiser said.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive testimony concerning the collision between the Eagle Otome and the Dixie Vengence that occurred Jan. 23 in Port Arthur near the Port of Port Arthur.

“The Coast Guard is investigating the incident to develop conclusions and recommendations that improve vessel and waterway safety,” according to a press release from USCG. “The facts collected at this hearing, along with the lead investigator’s conclusions and recommendations, will be forwarded to the Coast Guard Eighth District in New Orleans and Coast Guard Headquarters for approval.”

Once approved, the investigative report will be made available to the public.

A long list of witnesses are expected to be called to the witness stand, including personnel from the Eagle Otome and the Dixie Vengence, two Sabine Pilots captains and the Sabine Pilots Association President, a member of the Jefferson and Orange County Board of Pilot Commissioners Chairman, two members of the Vessel Traffic Service Port Arthur Watchstanders and the groups training coordinator as well as a person with the National Maritime Center, Medical Evaluations Division.

No analysis or conclusions will be presented during the hearing.

NTSB will generate an independent report on this incident.

The official findings will be used for a number of purposes, including finding the responsible party and assessing clean-up costs.

The tank ship Eagle Otome was inbound on Jan. 23 when it struck the ship Gull Arrow, which was moored at the Port of Port Arthur, according to information from the Coast Guard.

The Eagle then collided with the first of two barges being pushed by the tug Dixie Vengence.

Both ships, the barge and the pier at the Port of Port Arthur sustained significant damage. The cargo closest to the bow of the Eagle was damaged, resulting in the spilling of more than 400,000 gallons of oil.

Two Sabine Pilots were aboard at the time of the incident. Four shore-based dockworkers on the Gull Arrow have reported injuries.

The waterway was shut down for four days while cleanup crews worked around the clock to sop up thousands of gallons of oil from a nine-mile section of shoreline. An estimated 534, 000 gallons of oil/water mixture was recovered.

Six oiled birds have been reported — a cormorant, two pelicans and a heron are being treated and cleaned. One cormorant and one kingfisher were found dead,

If not concluded by March 12, the hearing venue will shift to March 15 in the first floor district courtroom, Beaumont Federal Courthouse, 300 Willow St., Beaumont.

mmeaux@panews.com