At 0720 on April 26, 2015, the barge Gayle Force struck the unmanned Norfolk Southern Railway Bridge #7 on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake, Virginia, while being towed by the tugboat Simone. The allision caused $1.8 million in damage to the bridge and stopped rail traffic for nearly 36 hours. Damage to the barge was negligible. No one was injured, and there was no pollution associated with the accident.

​​The probable cause of the allision of the barge Gayle Force with the Norfolk Southern Bridge #7 was the Simone​ captain’s failure to plan for the bridge transit and effectively use the assist tugboat.

​​Familiarization with Local Recommendations

The allision of the barge Gayle Force with the Norfolk Southern Bridge #7 occurred in a location that was identified as an area requiring caution due to currents. Vessel operators should be familiar with, and heed the recommendations of, publications such as the United States Coast Pilot. This is the second NTSB investigation closed this year where Coast Pilot guidance was either not reviewed or disregarded (see NTSB Marine Accident Brief MAB-16-05). In this accident, the captain of the Simone also failed to use the local expertise of his assist tugboat captain.

Company Policies and Oversight

The owner of the Simone had policies in place that, if followed, may have prevented the allision. Sound company policies and guidance are only effective if they are put into practice. Vessel owners/operators should implement regular audits or checks to verify that ​crewmembers understand and comply with policies as required.