Honolulu molasses spill

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Honolulu molasses spill

Date September 2013

Location Honolulu Harbor

21.30°N 157.87°WCoordinates:  21.30°N

Coordinates
157.87°W

Type Molasses spill

Cause Faulty pipe

Deaths All sea life in the area

Property 1,400 tons of molasses

damage

In September 2013, 1,400 tons of molasses spilled into Honolulu Harbor. The spill was
discovered on 9 September 2013.[1] It was caused by a faulty pipe, for which the
shipping company Matson Navigation Co. took responsibility.[2] Molasses is an
unregulated product, and neither Matson nor government officials had a contingency
plan to respond to a molasses spill.[1] Natural currents and weather were expected to
eventually dilute and flush the molasses out of the harbor and a nearby lagoon. [3]
Divers in the harbor area reported that all sea life in the area was killed by the
molasses, which instantly sank to the bottom of the harbor and caused
widespread deoxygenation.[4][5][6] Members of various coral species were injured or killed,
and more than 26,000 fish and members of other marine species suffocated and died. [2]
The Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar on Maui produces molasses from fresh sugar cane,
and ships it to the mainland to be processed and sold. Matson had been transporting
molasses from Honolulu Harbor for 30 years and at the time was shipping it about once
a week.[1]

Follow-up[edit]
On 20 September 2013, the Hawaii Department of Transportation issued an order that
all businesses which pump products through port pipelines must provide the state with
documentation about pipeline inspections and spill response plans. Previously no such
reporting had been required.[7] Since such spills are almost impossible to clean up, the
plan focuses on prevention and early detection, with regular inspections of pipelines and
hourly monitoring of transmission operations. [8]