New York Harbor disaster averted In late January, 1981, the Exxon Albany, a barge, helped prevent what could have been "the most serious pollution incident in New York's history," according to a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson. The Concha, a U.S. flag vessel operated by Sabine Towing Company of Texas, suffered a grounding on January 19 in New York Harbor. The Concha was carrying a full load of No. 6 fuel oil and was bound for a Massachusetts power plant. After touching ground and holing its port side, the vessel developed a serious list. The pilot on board obtained Coast Guard permission to ground the vessel in Gravesend Bay off Brooklyn, N.Y. It was then that the Coast Guard issued an urgent call for lightering assistance. The Exxon Albany responded quickly. A Coast Guard official said, "At the height of the heating season when barges are at a premium, Exxon's voluntary efforts and effective response to both the salvage of the Concha and the major pollution incident may well have prevented the most serious pollution incident in New York." Unfortunately, an estimated 100,000 gallons of the 9 million gallons aboard spilled, creating a slick from the Statue of Liberty to the Verrazano Bridge. The Concha was towed to the Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne, New Jersey, for surveying and temporary repairs.