Two ships collided off the coast of China, causing one to spill oil approximately 124 nautical miles (230 kilometers) from the mouth of the Yangtze River. The cause of the collision is under investigation. The British container ship CM A CGM Florida collided with the Panamanian-registered vessel Zhoushan around 2:15 am on 19 March 2013. Reports indicate that as much as 674 cubic meters (178,000 gallons) of fuel oil were released from the CMA CGM Florida into the sea, although the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (SMSA) has not confirmed the spill volume. The fuel oil spill covered an area of approximately 90,000 square meters (over 22 acres). Due to the explosive nature of the contents of some of the containers on board, the SMSA first advised the CMA CGM Florida to anchor far off shore, but later amended that decision when changing weather patterns threatened the integrity of the damaged vessel. The CMA CGM Florida was asked to sail into Yangshan Port for the cargo and remaining fuel oil to be offloaded.
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