BREAKING: Rescue underway following Baltimore bridge collapse after ship strike

There are more questions than answers this morning as Americans wake up to the news of a 948-foot Singapore-flagged containership, chartered by Maersk, having smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md., after leaving the Port of Baltimore.

The Baltimore Fire Department reported that two people were rescued from the water and taken to a local hospital in critical condition. It’s unclear how many additional casualties rescuers are trying to locate.

The Port of Baltimore announced

https://www.marinelog.com/news/breaking-rescue-underway-following-baltimore-bridge-collapse-after-containership-strike/

NTSB: Towboat captain’s sleep inertia likely led to $2.5 million hit on lock gate

A captain who assumed a watch immediately after waking was likely experiencing sleep inertia, leading to a tow striking a lock gate in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, says the National Transportation Safety Board.

On March 22, 2021​​, the towing vessel Ava Claire was transiting westbound pushing two fully loaded tank barges in the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Intracoastal City, La. After entering the Leland Bowman Lock, the bow of the lead barge struck a closed lock gate, damaging and...

https://www.marinelog.com/inland-coastal/inland/ntsb-towboat-captains-sleep-inertia-likely-led-to-2-5-million-hit-on-lock-gate/

Poor communication blamed in $1.1 million barge strike on bridge

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its report on a January 12, 2021, incident in which an empty hopper barge, pushed by the towing vessel Robert Cenac, struck the CSX Railway Rigolets swing bridge, located about 11 miles southeast of Slidell, La.

No pollution or injuries were reported. However, the bridge sustained damage estimated at $1.1 million, while the barge sustained minor damage estimated at $5,000.

The Robert Cenac after the accident (Credit: NTSB)

According to...

https://www.marinelog.com/inland-coastal/inland/poor-communication-blamed-in-1-1-million-barge-strike-on-bridge/

NTSB reports on expensive barge strike on bridge fendering

The National Transportation Safety Board has published its report on an August 19, 2020, incident in which a loaded Brance Diversified Inc. hopper barge, pushed by a River Ventures LLC towing vessel, struck the protective fendering of the Peter P. Cobb Memorial Bridge, near Fort Pierce, Fla.

There were no injuries to the four crewmembers on the towing vessel and no pollution reported. Damage to the barge was estimated at $5,000. Damage to the protective fendering of the bridge was $641,000.

Accord...

https://www.marinelog.com/inland-coastal/inland/ntsb-reports-on-expensive-barge-strike-on-bridge-fendering/