Baltimore bridge struck by ship, collapses

[bsangs]

Well this is absolutely terrifying.

Moment bridge collapses in Baltimore after cargo ship collision – video

Mayor says rescue efforts are under way after large vessel crashed into Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending vehicles into water

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bolo]

In Annapolis now and was texted by my brother, who lives in south Jersey, early this AM asking if I was “safe”. Called him right back from my hotel room bed and he told me the news. He knew I was coming to Annapolis and wasn’t sure of my route. Saw the shocking video! Appears that there weren’t any sort of barriers protecting the very vulnerable bridge supports at that narrow opening which I’m familiar with having taken our boat through the same course. Similar sort of condition exits at the twin bay bridges near Annapolis on the bay although those supports are much bigger but with enough momentum could a container ship bring them down too? Not too long ago a container ship ran out of the channel coming out of Baltimore and went aground hard. It took weeks to get her off. So boats hitting bridges are always a possibility and this one is so tragic.

 

[bsangs]

Have been fixated on this story all morning, for obvious reasons. You can see in the video how it loses power at some point, power comes back, power goes out again. Anyone that's sailed near these knows they are not exactly nimble. Two people were rescued from the water so far.

 

[Bolo]

Have been fixated on this story all morning, for obvious reasons. You can see in the video how it loses power at some point, power comes back, power goes out again. Anyone that's sailed near these knows they are not exactly nimble. Two people were rescued from the water so far.

Curious how the stern slides to port at the last minute. Prop walk from full reverse? If true this might have set it up for hitting the support. Just guessing here. Don’t know if container ships react like smaller sailboats. The truth will come out.

 

[reginaldobaker]

Dang, different root cause but the only thing that reminded me of is the old Tacoma narrows collapse.
Hope everyone is safe

 

[Navman]

They said that the anchors were deployed in an effort to slow the ship down. That may be why the stern slipped to port. They called the mayday early enough that they were able to shut down traffic except for those already on the bridge. Video does not appear to show any vehicles on the span at the time. It appears that they did all they could to to avert catastrophe to no avail. Apparently the same ship had a allision with a pier/ dock not too long ago. Feel sorry for those workers which have not yet been found. More of a recovery effort now and not a rescue anymore. I am going down to the boat next week and may sail by to check it out. I am sure they will not let me get too close. I sailed up to the Evergreen when they went aground and the security vessels let me get pretty close.

 

[tilwinter]

I ask this in all naïveté: would an anchor deployed so quickly actually do more than drag, with no scope to "bite"?

The abrupt swerve of the ship is the most puzzling aspect of the tape.

Someone on Sailing Anarchy proposed "bank suction", which apparently is a hydrodynamic effect which might have occurred when the ship drifted to the edge of the channel.

I was surprised to learn that similar bridge collapses after collision have occurred in Tasmania, Sweden, and even in Tampa Bay back in 1980. I read that in Oakland the tugs are now required to stay with the ship until it clears a bridge (after a collision without a collapse).

And I was also suprised to read how much larger and stronger are the "fenders" around the San Francisco Bay bridge.

I agree that the twin bay bridges are just as vulnerable, if not more so.

Very sad event.

 

[Vtonian]

I thought it might be prop walk too but the guy who does Whats Up In Shipping said it takes like 10 minutes to get a ship into reverse(!), and that there was a side channel to its starboard with an ebb tide that probably assisted the stern to port, along with that bank suction thing.
Tragic but a lesson to learn from. Not only does it reinvigorate my own handling practice but also reinforces my respect for ships and shipping lanes.

 

[Christian Williams]

I don't think anything, anchor or a fleet of tugs, could have made much difference. And the pilot knew it. That radio call to the bridge was admirable, the cops' response, too.

As a cleanup, a bridge is difficult to remove but at least you can see how they might do it. Removal of ships seems even harder, and YouTube has some doozies. Costa Concordia is mind-boggling. Tricolor too, which sank in the English Channel with 2800 luxury cars.

The salvage companies apparently like to document their work. Maybe Baltimore will also.

 

[bsangs]

Thanks for sending me down a rabbit hole of ship wreck and bridge disaster videos early this morning, Christian.

 

[Christian Williams]

I apologize and confess ( I have sprung for the $15/month "ad-free" YouTube). For years I used an ad blocker, but that jig is up and YouTube now threatens expulsion. I found I simply could'nt stand the barrage of nonsense and hysteria and willing to pay to escape it.

But on the other hand, YouTube has changed everything for me in a time when my taste no longer comports with the current standards. ON YouTube I can watch early Monk, listen to Noah Chomsky (OK, not too much of that), review aviation disasters, satisfy my curiosity about thermite welding, learn how to make dovetail joints, follow Tally Ho, research effortlessly any topic needed for work, and backcheck my doctor's offhand opinion that I should be standing on my head more frequently in order to improve circulation. What a change! History at hand! Instruction ever present! And all of my choice, not some network's or advertising company.

My newspapers are obsolete by the time they arrive every morning, I seem to have heard it all already, and there are no editors left so holes in the story abound. I merely follow my nose to YouTube, which is where you come to know the weakness of Russian tanks, with dozens of battlefield explanations and video demonstrations. Or if you like, Waterloo explained from a hundred angles.

I rarely watch Patreon sailing videos, but if I were starting out they too would be invaluable. It all seems to be there, waiting the call of curiosity. What a marvelous gift in a time when marvels so often come up short.

 

[bsangs]

My newspapers are obsolete by the time they arrive every morning, I seem to have heard it all already, and there are no editors left so holes in the story abound. I merely follow my nose to YouTube, which is where you come to know the weakness of Russian tanks, with dozens of battlefield explanations and video demonstrations. Or if you like, Waterloo explained from a hundred angles.

Love what one can easily find on YouTube, but I'm Heston in "Planet of the Apes" when it comes to taking away my morning paper. Obsolete news or not.

Though don't get me started on the state of "news" today. Spent many years in the industry, and it's a shell of what it once was. Go ahead, call me an, "Old man yelling at clouds." Doesn't mean it's not true.

 

[Loren Beach]

Nuggets of truth can often be found in satire.

 

[bsangs]

Nuggets of truth can often be found in satire.

That's the one!

 

[Bolo]

Wow! This topic sure got off course and it’s all your fault Christian. Maybe this conversation needs to be moved over to the Raft Up forum? As far as truth in the news goes there is only one source for it IMO and I’m not telling here, on this internet site, cause it’s partly political and I don’t want to bring ANY politics into EYO. Message me and I’ll tell you…maybe. I come here and go sailing to get away from the news and politics which makes my world a lot happier especially at my age.

 

[bsangs]

Wow! This topic sure got off course and it’s all your fault Christian. Maybe this conversation needs to be moved over to the Raft Up forum? As far as truth in the news goes there is only one source for it IMO and I’m not telling here, on this internet site, cause it’s partly political and I don’t want to bring ANY politics into EYO. Message me and I’ll tell you…maybe. I come here and go sailing to get away from the news and politics which makes my world a lot happier especially at my age.

We’re in The Raftup already, Bolo.

 

[southofvictor]

Nuggets of truth can often be found in satire.

 

[Mblace]

Figure 100,000 tons at 8kts in relatively light wind and current - going to drift a good ways when power is lost, but still maneuverable unless steering is also lost. Tugs alongside probably could have steered it into the mud out of the channel before hitting the bridge, or back into the channel, depending on how much time they had. Grounding intentionally to save the bridge would have been my choice but that may not have been an option. They always have anchors ready to let go, but everyone knows chain more than the hook are what makes an anchor effective, so even with anchors let go it would take several hundred yards before they started working. Most bridges of that era were built with minimal protection - and adding it now for many would substantially reduce channel width and cost a lot. After Tampa they changed a lot of the codes, but did not mandate retrofitting. I bet going forward more preventive measures will be required - tugs, dolphins, cable-stay vs. truss bridge design. But as long as BIG ships transit narrow channels under bridges there will be risk. In any event plan on 6 months for the channel to be fully restored and 3-5 years for a new bridge... I suppose a tunnel would be an alternative, but hazmat and size restrictions would shift all that traffic around the Baltimore Beltway to the west (it's going that way now) and I don't see that being a good long-term solution. Whole situation pretty much stinks!

 

[Loren Beach]

Mark,
Thanks for stopping by. Good to have your informed take on the problem.
Regards,
Loren

 

[Bolo]

We’re in The Raftup already, Bolo.

Well, so we are. It’s getting like I just don’t know where I am half the time. This happens when you retire, remember it or better yet write it down cause you won’t remember.