Rare runaway containership leads to bridge closure in Charleston

Rare runaway containership leads to bridge closure in Charleston

Authorities in Charleston, S.C., briefly closed a prominent local bridge and cleared maritime traffic in the Cooper River after a containership lost engine control during its outbound voyage. The 997-foot MSC Michigan VII accelerated to 14 knots but ultimately sailed under the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and past the harbor into open water without incident. Unusually high wakes damaged some…
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Charleston pilot honored for actions aboard runaway ship

Charleston pilot honored for actions aboard runaway ship

The U.S. Coast Guard presented Capt. Christopher Thornton with a Meritorious Public Service Award for his role in averting catastrophe during an uncontrolled acceleration on the containership MSC Michigan VII. Thornton, a Charleston Branch Pilot, guided the ship down the Cooper River and out to sea on June 5 at speeds reaching 14 knots — nearly twice as fast as…
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Coast Guard doubtful aging bulker struck underwater object

Coast Guard doubtful aging bulker struck underwater object

The U.S. Coast Guard is working to identify the cause of a hull fracture on the Canada-flagged bulk carrier Michipicoten that occurred while the vessel was underway in Lake Superior. Crew aboard the 72-year-old ship issued a mayday call to the U.S. Coast Guard at about 0553 on June 8 reporting hearing a loud bang while transiting roughly 35 miles…
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NTSB: Dockside fire in Tacoma highlights detection system gaps

NTSB: Dockside fire in Tacoma highlights detection system gaps

The fire that destroyed the commercial fishing vessel Kodiak Enterprise while docked in Tacoma, Wash., in April 2023 likely started from an unknown electrical source inside the ship’s dry stores room, federal investigators determined.  The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also found that an inadequate fire detection and notification system failed to alert shoreside contacts, contributing to the severity of…
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NTSB: Dali had electrical problems before leaving Port of Baltimore

NTSB: Dali had electrical problems before leaving Port of Baltimore

The containership Dali twice lost electrical power before departing from the Port of Baltimore and striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the National Transportation Board (NTSB) said in a preliminary investigation report that raised new questions about its electrical plant.  Dali experienced two blackouts on March 25, roughly 10 hours before departing, while conducting maintenance in port. Crewmembers quickly addressed…
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Barge breaks free from tow, strikes bridge near Galveston, Texas

Barge breaks free from tow, strikes bridge near Galveston, Texas

A tank barge loaded with vacuum gas oil broke free from its tow in Galveston, Texas, and struck a causeway bridge, damaging the span and spilling up to 20,000 gallons of oil into the sea. The towboat LCPL Phillip C. George departed Texas International Terminals in the Port of Galveston with a string of two barges when a coupling broke…
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NTSB cites bank effect as leading factor in S.C. pier strike

NTSB cites bank effect as leading factor in S.C. pier strike

Bow Triumph was downbound in the Cooper River when it approached a sharp bend near Naval Weapons Station Joint Base Charleston. The local pilot conning the tanker lined up along the left edge of the channel and issued helm commands to steer through the turn. The Charleston Branch Pilot Association pilot issued a series of engine and rudder commands but…
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