LOOP offshore oil port staying open despite spill

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port is and plans to remain operational despite remnants of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill passing by, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

"We are not closing. We've gotten the full support of the Coast Guard to keep LOOP operational," said spokeswoman Barb Hestermann.

The only U.S. port capable of unloading supertankers, LOOP is about 100 miles west of the BP Plc well that has spewed oil since an April 20 explosion killed 11 workers.

Consisting of three unloading buoys and a platform linked to storage onshore, LOOP is in the Gulf 18 miles south of Grand Isle, Louisiana, in water 110 feet deep.

Weathered globs of oil and sheen have appeared in the area as the spill has spread, but LOOP monitors air and water to make sure vessels can unload safely, the spokeswoman said.

"We haven't seen any detectable levels of harmful vapors," Hestermann said.

Ships visiting LOOP do not have to be oil-free because they are not calling at a shore-based port, and Coast Guard cleaning stations are available if needed, Hestermann said.

(Reporting by Bruce Nichols; Editing by Marguerita Choy)