About 0230 local time on October 26, 2017, the towing vessel Cooperative Venture, with a crew of 10, was pushing 12 barges downbound on the Mississippi River near St. Paul, Minnesota. As the vessel approached the St. Paul Union Pacific Rail Bridge at mile 835.7, the lead barge on the port side struck a fixed pier of the swing bridge. There were no reported injuries or pollution. Damages to the bridge and barge were estimated at $800,000 and $153,000, respectively.

​​The probable cause of the allision of the towing vessel Cooperative Venture with the St. Paul Union Pacific Rail Bridge was the operating company’s assignment of an inexperienced pilot who incorrectly positioned the tow prior to maneuvering through a turn with a following current when approaching the bridge span.​