The oil spill that closed the Mississippi River at New Orleans is costing the U.S. economy $275 million a day, the head of that city's port authority told CNN.
The cleanup has to be faster, said Gary LaGrange, so the hundreds of waiting ships can get to port to load and unload goods.
"Somebody's gotta move a little quicker," he said as workers spent hours doing labor intensive work to decontaminate each vessel in the area.
The spill initially covered about 90 percent of the surface of the river after a barge collided with a tanker Wednesday.
By Friday the oil covered 20 percent to 30 percent of the surface, said Coast Guard Capt. Lincoln Stroh.
The currents and river bends helped to isolate the oil against the banks, where it is more easily cleaned, he said.
"We have a lot less oil downriver. ... We're happy to see that," Stroh said.
Stroh said four vessels were being allowed to move on the river channel Friday based on the importance of their cargo. At least two vessels were going to and from the Exxon oil refinery in Chalmette, assisted by tugboats, the Coast Guard said.
"We're moving those that have the highest, most critical need to the port -- in this case a tank ship with crude oil to provide feedstock for one of the refineries," Stroh said at a midday news conference.
"We're getting the important cargo to the important places."
