Ship anchored near oil pipeline made unusual movements

By MICHAEL BIESECKER, STEFANIE DAZIO and MICHAEL BALSAMO
Associated Press

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (AP) — A massive cargo ship made a series of unusual movements while anchored in the closest spot to a Southern California oil pipeline that ruptured and sent crude washing up on beaches. The Coast Guard is investigating whether a ship anchor snagged and bent the pipeline off Huntington Beach. The Associated Press reviewed more than two weeks of data from MarineTraffic, a navigation service that tracks ships. The AP found the Rotterdam Express, a German-flagged ship, made three unusual movements over two days that appear to put it over the pipeline. A U.S. official told the AP that the ship is a focus of the spill investigation. Hapag-Lloyd, the company that operates the Rotterdam Express, denied any role in the leak.