Two Weeks After Baltimore, Another Cargo Ship Loses Power By Bridge
APL Qingdao loses propulsion by Verrazzano Bridge but major collision averted
In another scary maritime moment reminiscent of last month in Baltimore, a huge cargo ship suffered a loss of propulsion near a bridge. This time, however, catastrophe was avoided.
The APL Qingdao, an 89,000-ton, 11,000-foot-long vessel, was traveling through Kill Van Kull Waterway on Friday at 8:30 p.m. when the malfunction occurred. The waterway connects Staten Island and Bayonne, NJ, and is approximately 3 miles long
The Coast Guard sent three tugboats to tow the ship to the Stapleton Anchorage by the Verrazzano Bridge, where it was quickly repaired.
The ship's system was fully operational before it departed New York Harbor on Sunday morning, continuing its journey to Norfolk, Virginia.
“The APL Qingdao suffered a loss of propulsion that was restored a short time later, which temporarily impacted the vessel’s ability to move through the water without the assistance of the towing vessels that were escorting it,” Schultz told USA Today. “This differs from a loss of power, where the ship loses its ability to generate power for all systems onboard, including propulsion.”
John Konrad, CEO of gCaptain, posted a photo of the ship anchored near the Verrazzano Bridge on his X account.
BREAKING: A NY tugboat captain has reported to @gCaptain “container ship APL QINGDAO lost power while transiting New York harbor. They had 3 escort tugs but 3 more were needed to bring her under control. They regained power & were brought to anchor near the verrazano bridge” pic.twitter.com/Z2IP04xmLs
— John Ʌ Konrad V (@johnkonrad) April 7, 2024
Authorities explained that even if the ship had come close to the bridge, it wouldn’t have caused a collapse like Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge due to the protective rocks around its pillars.
Meanwhile, the city of Baltimore is still recovering from the bridge collapse, which claimed the lives of six construction workers.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore told CBS that it was “realistic” to expect normal operations to resume on the waterway by May. “It is an aggressive timeline, but we are going to work around the clock to make sure we meet it,” Moore said.
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