Container Ship Struck Key Bridge in Baltimore, Bridge has Collapsed

[chengkp75]

1 minute ago, Afttastic said:

Also would need to dock somewhere to take on fuel and provisions.

Could be done (though slower for provisions) by barge while at anchor.

[KmomChicago]

2 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Could be done (though slower for provisions) by barge while at anchor.

Ugh, sounds like a nightmare. At least it’s daylight out later now. I guess the guest routines could move forward as though we’re underway while all that’s happening but it definitely makes turn day seem a herculean challenge.

Edited March 26 by KmomChicago

[toad455]

The issue with having a fourth ship out of Bayonne this summer is that the pier can only hold one ship per day. The Vision's itineraries would be altered if that is to happen.

[cruiselover04]

5 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Since there are only 2 more sailings prior to drydock it would not surprise me in the least to see those 2 sailings cancelled and park her until the drydock if the drydock can't be pushed ahead.  That will give them time to figure out a longer term solution if access to Baltimore will be restricted for any length of time

My husband and I were just saying the same thing. 

[chengkp75]

4 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

And I believe Vision is on a southern Caribbean cruise from Baltimore at present.  Clearly that ship will be diverted to another port for its return as the waterway into the harbor is likely going to be closed for quite some time.  Perhaps Cape Liberty?  I would have to believe immediate future sailings will be affected as well as all marine traffic will be interrupted to and from the port and inner harbor having to pass through the bridge area for access.

 

But of singular importance is the concern for anyone on the bridge at the time and any others affected by this tragedy. 

The ship sounded a Mayday, and bridge officials were able to stop vehicle traffic in time.  The people on the bridge appear to be DOT workers filling potholes.

[Angelboy301]

5 minutes ago, toad455 said:

The issue with having a fourth ship out of Bayonne this summer is that the pier can only hold one ship per day. The Vision's itineraries would be altered if that is to happen.

The immediate project for RC staff is to adjust deployment for 4/4 and 4/12. They are not scheduled again until 5/25 after that due to a scheduled dry dock. The channel may be clear to traffic by then. Carnival has the more complicated problem.

Edited March 26 by Angelboy301

[Williamsburgcruiser]

The biggest problem with Bayonne is the lack of parking - a HUGE issue.  Even with the few ships they have, there's no parking to be had, except really, really far away - which is horrible.  

[Angelboy301]

21 minutes ago, Afttastic said:

Exactly - people that think CCL and RCI knew what they were going to do 5 minutes after it happened are wacko. Willing to bet they had to get an update from Maryland/Baltimore officials this morning before they could even figure out all the logistics of how to get current cruisers back and finding ports/berths that could handle future cruises. No matter where these current cruises dock - CCL and RCI now have to deal with finding buses to get people back to Baltimore that drove to the port. NYC or Norfolk is at least 4 hours from Baltimore. 

I’m fairly certain RC had decided their course by the time staff began arriving in Miami this morning.

[resetjet]

32 minutes ago, robmtx said:

Since we have some knowledgeable people here today let me ask.

 

What is the likelihood they could quickly move enough debris from the main channel to permit ship traffic? There must be enough heavy lifting equipment on the East Coast that could at least help get the lane open? Vision isn't due for 9 days? Could they get the channel open by then?

I would say approximately zero.  This bridge is largely intact.  Gonna take a week or two or more  develop some type of plan.  Then the execution will take alot of time.   Probably months realistically.   I suppose they will have to blow it up,  i cant see another way to get it to small enough parts to then lift out.  Look how long it took to get the evergreen out.  

[gumshoe958]

10 minutes ago, toad455 said:

The issue with having a fourth ship out of Bayonne this summer is that the pier can only hold one ship per day. The Vision's itineraries would be altered if that is to happen.

Not an issue. No other cruise ships are scheduled at Bayonne on any of Vision’s turnaround days in 2024.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, BND said:

We hope to know soon about a possible port change.  We drive to Baltimore and normally take Amtrak to Newark.  We'd be willing to go two days early instead of one so we can prob use Amtrak. We prefer Business class or Acela.   If we're cancelled I think we'll go to Ocean City or another beach for a bit instead.  

 

As Tom Petty would sing, "The waiting is the hardest part..."

 

Whatever our outcome, we will cruise again.

 

There are families who have lost loved ones. They will need answers and some wounds will take a long time to heal and accept.

 

I love cruising but everyone on this site would have preferred to lose a cruise if it could bring back the workers who are injured or killed.

[TheInnocentAge]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Other bridges that have been hit (Florida's Sunshine Skyway bridge) have built caissons (like small islands with concrete fendering) around the bridge supports, so that even if a ship strikes the caisson directly, it cannot reach the bridge support.

I remember when the Skyway was hit, I was still in my teens. 35 people died when their vehicles (including a bus) went over into the water 100+ feet below. One person actually survived the fall.

 

This pic shows the first car that DIDN'T go over. Quite a close call.

 

[chengkp75]

11 minutes ago, resetjet said:

I suppose they will have to blow it up,  i cant see another way to get it to small enough parts to then lift out.

Weeks Marine has a 500 ton salvage crane barge (Weeks 533) based in NJ, though it is currently in Boston.

[leaveitallbehind]

23 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

The ship sounded a Mayday, and bridge officials were able to stop vehicle traffic in time.  The people on the bridge appear to be DOT workers filling potholes.

I heard that as well - thanks.  Such a tragedy, but I also heard two of those survived, but six are still missing.

[Calgon1]

Yet another opinion. . . 
 

I see the possibility of the returning ships using one of the piers at Sparrow’s Point dockyard; guests being debarked and bussed over to the cruise port to recover their cars, and BWI airport for their onward travel.

 

RCI and Carnival will relocate their returning ships to other ports and adjust itineraries as necessary.

 

Between clearing the debris of the F.S. Key bridge and rebuilding of a replacement; it’s going to be months (if not a year or more) before we see pleasure cruises resuming out of Baltimore. 

Edited March 26 by Calgon1

[SRF]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Isn't Sparrows Point still a Superfund toxic waste site?

They are working on that.

 

"According to one of SPT's executives, the company's plans for redevelopment include transforming the site into "one of the largest ports on the East Coast".

In September, 2018, Amazon opened a fulfillment center on the property as part of the Tradepoint Atlantic industrial complex. In 2020 it opened a second fulfillment center next door."

[Engineroom Snipe]

41 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

9 days?  No way.  Ships would not want to chance a "potentially foul" channel (meaning not all the debris has been cleared).  It is going to take 9 days to contract with salvage/dredging barges, let alone get them moved to Baltimore.

On top of this time delay, even after the debris is removed, an agency like the Civil Corp of Engineers will be needed to survey and certify that the channel is clear for shipping traffic.

 

No insurance agency will provide protection against such unknowns.

 

I know about bottom side-scan sonar channel scanning. That is what a mine hunter does.

 

We would look for "debris" that was explosive embedded in the shipping channels.

 

Most modern mines are not the "spiked" monstrosities your see in World War II movies.

 

They are more like refrigerators that only have one side exposed to the water buried in the sediment.

 

In this case, a few submerged steel beam parts could reek havoc with the propeller or rudder.

 

Not enough to sink the vessel or hurt its structural integrity but maybe enough to lose navigational ability. Similar to what happened in this case.

[chengkp75]

4 minutes ago, Calgon1 said:

Between clearing the debris of the F.S. Key bridge and rebuilding of a replacement; it’s going to be months (if not a year or more) before we see pleasure cruises resuming out of Baltimore. 

The resumption of cruising, just like commercial shipping, will not depend on rebuilding the bridge, only on removing the debris from the shipping channel, not even the outer arches which are outside the channel.  But, yes, it will take 2-4 months to accomplish that.

[temple1]

From how quickly they cleaned up and repaired the mess in Philadelphia recently, I think they will not be waiting around for the lowest bid to start clearing the channel once they have completed recovery efforts. They will be looking for the best expertise and speed.

[clochette]

1 hour ago, Williamsburgcruiser said:

The biggest problem with Bayonne is the lack of parking - a HUGE issue.  Even with the few ships they have, there's no parking to be had, except really, really far away - which is horrible.  

there is lots of parking at Cape Liberty in Bayonne very easy when only 1 ship in port as all can park in the garage, with multiple ships in port some parking is a bit farther but no more than a 5-10 minute walk, and they have shuttles for those who need it.

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, Williamsburgcruiser said:

The biggest problem with Bayonne is the lack of parking - a HUGE issue.  Even with the few ships they have, there's no parking to be had, except really, really far away - which is horrible.  

No problem with parking with 2 ships.  When sailed in August there was Oasis and Liberty and they opened up the outside lots for overflow parking.

However, 3 ships would be a problem.

Edited March 26 by nelblu

[Bill Miller]

Don Jon Marine, Port Newark is mobilizing heavy lift equipment for Baltimore. donjon.com

[Engineroom Snipe]

In my opinion as I stated before, Royal is trying to safely get the current cruise completed with as little interruption to the passenger experience as possible.

 

They will directly bus to Baltimore from Bayonne. I agree that trying to get to the airport or train stations will add hours to this effort from people getting off of the bus, waiting for plains or trains. and getting on another bus in Baltimore.

 

The next two cruises will be out of Bayonne and Royal has some time to take a breath and contemplate what ever comes.

 

My two cents minus one cent only leaves me with one common cent (but maybe no common sense).

 

😁

[Bill Miller]

A web site that many of us in maritime world enjoy for excellent information is, "What's going on with shipping."  Here is link from this mornings disaster coverage. 

 

[OnTheJourney]

9 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

the months it will take to salvage all the bridge debris from the shipping channel to allow a ship to get to the cruise terminal.

I assumed months rather than weeks.

Edited March 26 by OnTheJourney