Based on my limited physics knowledge, combined with watching Looney Tunes as a kid, it's my understanding, if you time it just right, you can step out at the last second and be perfectly fine.
Bridge Collapses in Baltimore
- Thread starter CYaeger
- Start date
I haven't seen this take anywhere, but I'll admit I haven't read this whole thread either.
I wonder if autonomous pilot tugs could be a thing in the future. Park the tugs in standby under/near the bridges. When a ship of dangerous size comes near, they basically have to go into "neutral" and let the pilot tugs do the rest of the work.
There's probably a lot of reason why this isn't done, but I wonder if this might be a safer and more cost effective solution...
I wonder if autonomous pilot tugs could be a thing in the future. Park the tugs in standby under/near the bridges. When a ship of dangerous size comes near, they basically have to go into "neutral" and let the pilot tugs do the rest of the work.
There's probably a lot of reason why this isn't done, but I wonder if this might be a safer and more cost effective solution...
Yeah, but to propose, design and build a bridge this massive across a harbor entrance that serves massive ships, and not at least predict the outcome of a MASSIVE cargo ship crashing into one of its support piers could be considered negligent, because, as you say, **** happens. The very, very expensive part will now most definitely be realized in replacement, rerouting cargo, increased traffic etc. and now, fortunately, I imagine no planner or engineer will touch the project unless protection for pylons/piers is included in the project.
I mean, if you're not wearing a parachute at all times just in case.....what are you even doing?
I saw the bridge was built in 1976 so it's probably not as rigid of safety standards back then.
They still thought seatbelts should be optional and you could smoke on planes back then so not sure why you'd expect this to be different.
It was completed 40+ yrs ago. I'm guessing it was considered adequately structured at the time. Hauling freight has upscaled tremendously in the last 40 yrs, freighters, trains, even semis in some states. There was just a lot of momentum going there when it went wrong. I'm glad the ship warned the authorities or it may have been worse.
Wonder if the shipping company will survive, it's a heck of a liability claim coming it's way.
What are terrible tragedy, my heart breaks for all involved. I did read there was a harbor pilot on board with an assistant. I can only imagine the legal battle to come. "Your ship was faulty". "You were piloting and didn't anticipate what would happen with the wind, current, and tide...that's what we pay you for!"
I was just in Savannah last month and learned about that on a food tour. Apparently they just replace the cables with shorter ones to do this. I'm assuming Charleston's bridge could have this done too, it looked to be more or less identical.
Well, think we will learn through investigation of the accident what was planned for in the original specifications for the Bridge. Lloyds of London probably will be sending an investigative team! As will the NTSB, state authorities etc.
Yeah im sure they have some kind of insurance, but this company is going to be on the hook for several billion in damages.
The bridge alone will likely cost a few billion to replace. Then you have the costs of the removal and recovery effort. And then there's the lost revenue that's happening in that port.
Maritime Law as it relates to the steamship lined is hard to overcome in any court case. Some weird stuff. It has a precedent over any other law.
If they declare Force Majeure it's near impossible to collect damages. And people with cargo on the ship are liable for costs to bring ship to dry dock. You also help pay for costs of those that lost freight overboard.
Will see what happens.
The US government collects a harbor maintenance fee on every ocean customs entry filed. This money is supposed to go towards the infrastructure of ports. I suspect this will be money used to pay to replace the bridge.
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Praying for all involved. That’s a terrifying nightmare to live out for those on the bridge this morning. I cant even imagine. IF they survive the initial collapse, that water is frigid.
It should be noted that construction on this bridge started in 1972, and it was opened in 1977. It was designed for the expected harbor traffic of the time. The standard shipping container that is ubiquitous today, was just gaining widespread use in the late-60s/early-70s, and container ships had only just begun being built. This site details the growth of container ships since the 1950s.
The ship that hit the Key Bridge is listed with a capacity of nearly 10K TEU, meaning that it is four times larger than the largest ships in use at the time the bridge was built. Suggesting that the bridge should have been built stronger just doesn't make sense.
I would suspect that the easier solution for circumstances like this would be that ships above a certain size will require a tug escort when entering and exiting harbors like this to ensure that the ship has some guidance in a loss-of-power situation.
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100% the new bridge will have robust protection like the Tampa Bay bridge example @Sigmapolis cited. That was added post disaster to the new bridge.
