Early Tuesday morning, a container ship struck a major bridge in Baltimore, causing a significant portion of the bridge to collapse into the river below. This incident adds to a list of unfortunate events involving ships or barges colliding with bridges, resulting in devastating consequences.
According to a 2018 report from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure, there have been 35 major bridge collapses worldwide from 1960 to 2015 due to ship or barge collisions, resulting in a total of 342 fatalities. Out of these collapses, 18 occurred in the United States.
Notable Disasters Involving Ships Colliding with Bridges in the U.S.
Popp's Ferry Bridge (March 20, 2009): A vessel pushing eight barges collided with the Popp's Ferry Bridge in Biloxi, Mississippi, causing a 150-foot section of the bridge to collapse into the bay.
Queen Isabella Causeway (Sept. 15, 2001): A tugboat and barge struck the Queen Isabella Causeway in Port Isabel, Texas, leading to a midsection of the bridge collapsing 80 feet into the bay. Tragically, eight individuals lost their lives as motorists drove into the gap.
Eads Bridge (April 14, 1998): The Anne Holly tow collided with the center span of the Eads Bridge in St. Louis Harbor, causing eight barges to break away. Three of these barges struck a moored gambling vessel below the bridge, resulting in 50 minor injuries.
Big Bayou Canot (Sept. 22, 1993): Barges being pushed by a towboat in dense fog displaced the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge near Mobile, Alabama. Subsequently, an Amtrak train derailed, leading to the tragic loss of 47 lives and injuries to 103 individuals.
Seeber Bridge (May 28, 1993): The towboat Chris collided with the Judge William Seeber Bridge in New Orleans, causing a section of the bridge to collapse onto a barge below. This incident resulted in one fatality and two serious injuries.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge (May 9, 1980): The freighter Summit Venture struck the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida's Tampa Bay during a blinding squall, causing a 1,400-foot section of the bridge to collapse. Tragically, 35 individuals lost their lives as vehicles plunged into the water below.
These incidents serve as stark reminders of the potential dangers associated with maritime transportation and the critical need for safety measures to prevent such tragic events in the future.
