One of the busiest bridges in South Carolina had to be closed Wednesday because a big cargo ship lost control of its engines and went through the bay at almost full speed.
The nearly 1,000-foot (300-meter) ship was going about 20 mph (32 kmh). Harbor pilots helped it get under the Ravenel Bridge safely and then anchor a few miles off the coast while the Coast Guard investigated, said Randy Preston, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Charleston Section.
Police cleared cars, bikes, and people on foot from the eight-lane bridge before the ship came. The bridge was closed for 10 minutes while the Michigan 7 steamed below, according to the authorities.
Preston said that the big ship’s wake was the only thing that caused damage. It threw off a small boat and hurt two people slightly.
The ship is registered in Liberia to the Mediterranean Shipping Company, but they didn’t answer my email right away asking for comment. From Charleston’s port, it was going to Savannah, Georgia.
At a news conference, Preston said, “I don’t want to guess that it will end badly, but any time a ship can’t control its propulsion, it’s scary.”
On March 26, an out-of-control cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after losing power. Six construction workers were killed, and the bridge came down.
The Ravenel Bridge was built differently, but engineers said it could handle an identical blow. Even so, they shut down the bridge when it became clear that the ship was going to sink.
People walking or riding bikes across the bridge were given rides by police to get them to safety quickly, said Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker. In minutes, the bridge was empty.
“From the very top to the very bottom, communication was perfect in this case,” Walker said.
Preston said that after leaving the bridge, the ship’s crew took back control and were able to anchor about 10 miles (16 km) off the coast.
The cable-stayed Ravenel Bridge opened in 2005 and has a main deck that is 186 feet (57 meters) above the Cooper River. Every day, about 100,000 cars cross it.
Engineers say it can withstand wind gusts of up to 300 mph (483 kmh), which is stronger than any hurricane ever measured. Its towers are 575 feet (175 m) above the water.
