NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The tentacles of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill could reach beyond the coast to just about anyone who drinks coffee, eats shrimp, likes bananas or plans to buy tires.
The slick has forced the shutdown of the gulf's rich fishing grounds and could spread to the busy shipping lanes, tying up the cargo vessels and driving up the price of many commodities.
Though a total shutdown of the shipping lanes is unlikely, 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.
Scientists say the oil spill could reach the Loop Current in a day. Experts say it's similar to a "conveyor belt," sweeping around the Gulf.
If that happens, it likely will end up in the Florida Keys and continue east into the Gulf Stream. An oceanographer at the University of Miami says the oil could affect Florida's beaches, coral reefs, fisheries and ecosystem within a week.
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