- A large cargo ship lost control of its engines on Wednesday and sped through a South Carolina port at nearly full speed, forcing the closure of the Ravenel Bridge, one of the state’s busiest.
- While the Coast Guard investigated, harbor pilots helped the roughly 1,000-foot-long ship safely pass under the bridge and anchor several miles offshore.
- Police cleared the bridge of vehicles and pedestrians until it was safe for the cargo ship to pass.
A large cargo ship lost control of its engines on Wednesday and hurtled through a South Carolina port at nearly full speed, forcing the closure of one of the state’s busiest bridges.
Port pilots were able to guide the roughly 1,000-foot-long vessel, which was traveling about 20 miles per hour, safely under the Ravenel Bridge and ultimately anchor it several miles offshore while the Coast Guard investigated, said Capt. Randy Preston, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Charleston division.
Police cleared traffic, bicyclists and pedestrians from the eight-lane bridge before the ship arrived, and closed it for 10 minutes while Michigan 7 passed underneath, authorities said.
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Preston said the only damage was from the giant ship’s wake, which ran a small boat aground and left two people with minor injuries.
The ship, registered to Liberia’s Mediterranean Shipping Company, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The ship was en route from the port of Charleston to Savannah, Georgia.
“I don’t want to predict a catastrophe, but anytime a ship loses control of its propulsion it’s a concern,” Preston said at a news conference.
Photo taken on January 17, 2012. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge connects Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (right) to Charleston, South Carolina. On June 5, 2024, the bridge was closed after a large freighter lost control and drove under it at full speed. (AP Photo/Matt Luke, File)
On March 26, an out-of-control cargo ship lost power and crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge pier to collapse and killing six construction workers.
Engineers said the Ravenel Bridge was a different design and could withstand a similar impact, but decided to close it anyway because it was clear the ship was out of control.
Charleston Police Chief Tito Walker said officers evacuated people walking and bicycling across the bridge to their vehicles and quickly evacuated them to safety, and the bridge was clear within minutes.
“The communication from top to bottom was perfect in this situation,” Walker said.
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Preston said the vessel’s crew regained control after leaving the bridge and were able to stop and anchor about 10 miles off the coast.
Opened in 2005, approximately 100,000 vehicles per day cross the Ravenel Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge whose main deck is 186 feet above the Cooper River.
The towers will stand 575 feet above the water and are designed to withstand wind gusts of up to 300 mph, stronger than any hurricane in recorded history, engineers say.
