NEW ORLEANS — The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico isn’t just a mess for those who live or work on the coast. If you drink coffee, eat shrimp, like bananas or plan to buy tires, you could end up paying more because of the disaster.
The slick has forced the shutdown of the gulf’s rich fishing grounds and also could spread to the busy shipping lanes at the mouth of the Mississippi River, tying up the cargo vessels that move millions of tons of fruit, rubber, grain, steel and other commodities and raw materials in and out of the nation’s interior.
A total shutdown of the shipping lanes is unlikely, but there could be long delays if vessels are forced to wait to have their oil-coated hulls power-washed to avoid contaminating the Mississippi.
Some cargo ships might choose to unload somewhere else in the U.S. That could drive up costs. The Associated Press
