In response to the spill, emergency crews evacuated about 28 blocks of buildings around the site of the collision, but by the evening of the 23rd, residents had been allowed to return.

AET activated their OPA 90 response plan and called upon Resolve Marine to lighter and refloat the damaged vessel while contractors worked to contain the oil spilled.

[7] The collision closed the Port Arthur waterway, and Coast Guard personnel could not immediately comment on how long it would take to clean the spill or reopen the channel.

However, according to both the Coast Guard and local officials, the possibility of currents in the channel picking up remained, and with it the potential for oil to flow downstream into marshes.

[9] The collision entirely closed the waterway for four days, with limited ship traffic allowed to resume January 27, with operations planned to return to normal by February 5.