Contact of Old Glory Tow with Peter P. Cobb Memorial Bridge​​​​

What Happened

​​On August 19, 2020, the towing vessel Old Glory, pushing the loaded hopper barge Cole northbound on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), struck the protective fendering for the Peter P. Cobb Memorial Bridge at mile 965 near Fort Pierce, Florida. There were no injuries to the four crewmembers on the Old Glory​, and there was no pollution reported. Damage to the barge was estimated at $5,000. Damage to the protective fendering was $641,000.

What We Found

​​​The probable cause of the contact of the towing vessel Old Glory and barge Cole​ with the Peter P. Cobb Memorial Bridge protective fendering was an inadequate navigational assessment that did not identify the risk of strong cross-currents in the area of the bridge transit.​

Lessons Learned

​​Familiarization with Local Information

The Coast Pilot and navigational charts are valuable sources to mariners that contain amplifying information on local conditions such as tides and currents, channel characteristics, and bridge descriptions. It is important to check the Coast Pilot and charts when developing voyage plans to improve knowledge of an area and prepare for a safe passage.​

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