On July 8, 2023, at 2326, the towing vessel Danny Terral was pushing six loaded barges on the Calcasieu River when the starboard lead barge contacted a pier while docking at the Port of Lake Charles. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. Damage to the pier was estimated to be about $1 million. The tow remained intact, and there was no reported damage to the barges or towing vessel.
We determined that the probable cause of the contact of the Danny Terral with the Port of Lake Charles pier was the mate misjudging the approach to an unlit, unfamiliar pier in the dark.
