So, what do we know about the bridge, in hindsight.

[Woodznutz]

1. That large ships losing control and hitting things is not uncommon.
2. That the FSK's bridge was vulnerable to severe damage if hit by today's huge vessels.
3. That tugboat escorts might have prevented the collision with the bridge if deployed.
4. That none of the above seems to have been considered by the port of Baltimore.

View from the cheap seats.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

1. it was not an act of terror.
2. it was not due to DEI
3. it was not the fault of the US Fed Govt

 

[Lord Long Rod]

Shit still happens.

 

[Moonglow]

Welcome to existence people now everyone get back to work.

 

[martybegan]

1. That large ships losing control and hitting things is not uncommon.
2. That the FSK's bridge was vulnerable to severe damage if hit by today's huge vessels.
3. That tugboat escorts might have prevented the collision with the bridge if deployed.
4. That none of the above seems to have been considered by the port of Baltimore.

View from the cheap seats.

1.Hitting things? Yes. Hitting bridge towers at speed? No.
2. Most bridge towers built today would have a hard time surviving that, unless they were built on small islands. Even then, the damage done might result in the bridge having to be scrapped anyway.
3. Possibly, depending on the #of boats assigned and how soon they were told there was an issue.
4. 50+ years of the bridge not being hit in this way shows it's not a common or even very very rare event. You can't plan in engineering for a one in a million chance of failure all the time.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

It was more of a White Rabbit than it was a Black Swan~

 

[Moonglow]

Is that a Jefferson Airplane reference?

 

[22lcidw]

Shit still happens.

Perhaps we get a little too lax and comfortable. They may find that part of the reason this tragedy happened was due to that.

 

[EvilEyeFleegle]

Is that a Jefferson Airplane reference?

I know..seems almost...I dunno...surrealistic?

 

[Donald H]

No on the OP's #3. The ship travelling at over 8 knots couldn't stop itself in much less than a mile. Ask our phony admiral.

 

[Woodznutz]

1.Hitting things? Yes. Hitting bridge towers at speed? No.
2. Most bridge towers built today would have a hard time surviving that, unless they were built on small islands. Even then, the damage done might result in the bridge having to be scrapped anyway.
3. Possibly, depending on the #of boats assigned and how soon they were told there was an issue.
4. 50+ years of the bridge not being hit in this way shows it's not a common or even very very rare event. You can't plan in engineering for a one in a million chance of failure all the time.

I think most ship collisions are 'unlikely' events. The fact that they do happen should be enough to require a modicum of preparedness foresight, especially in situations such as this.

 

[blackhawk]

It wasn’t caused by climate change.
It wasn’t Trumps fault.

 

[Woodznutz]

3. Possibly, depending on the #of boats assigned and how soon they were told there was an issue.

My point here is that the ships could have a tugboat escort until they are safely past the bridge, coming or going.

 

[SavannahMann]

I think most ship collisions are 'unlikely' events. The fact that they do happen should be enough to require a modicum of preparedness foresight, especially in situations such as this.

Ok. The Pilot radioed a Mayday to let the world know there was a problem.

The tugboats began rushing to the ship to try and help.

The police had time to stop traffic on the bridge to minimize casualties.

The Coast Guard began to deploy and arrived in minutes.

It appears as though the Pilot was issuing orders and the crew was trying to respond but the equipment was not working. I heard that the pilot did an emergency anchor drop.

But when dealing with a 100,000 ton ship traveling at between 7 and 9 knots little things don’t do much.

 

[SavannahMann]

My point here is that the ships could have a tugboat escort until they are safely past the bridge, coming or going.

And other bridges or things on down the river? Tugboats are expensive and normally only used when additional assistance is required.

 

[Woodznutz]

Shit still happens.

True, and the past is not a good predictor of the future. Just look at all the rock climbers that have fallen to their deaths, having years of past climbs without incident.

 

[Woodznutz]

Ok. The Pilot radioed a Mayday to let the world know there was a problem.

The tugboats began rushing to the ship to try and help.

The police had time to stop traffic on the bridge to minimize casualties.

The Coast Guard began to deploy and arrived in minutes.

It appears as though the Pilot was issuing orders and the crew was trying to respond but the equipment was not working. I heard that the pilot did an emergency anchor drop.

But when dealing with a 100,000 ton ship traveling at between 7 and 9 knots little things don’t do much.

A tugboat escort might have kept the ship on course to miss the bridge, if deployed as a routine safety measure. I again refer to pilots lining up on the runway well ahead of landing.

 

[martybegan]

I think most ship collisions are 'unlikely' events. The fact that they do happen should be enough to require a modicum of preparedness foresight, especially in situations such as this.

depends on the severity of the collision. Plenty of videos on Youtube of ships in port rubbing up against each other, usually due to wind conditions.

 

[Woodznutz]

And other bridges or things on down the river? Tugboats are expensive and normally only used when additional assistance is required.

The consequences of hitting the bridge are now revealed. No other infrastructure was as critical as the bridge.

 

[martybegan]

My point here is that the ships could have a tugboat escort until they are safely past the bridge, coming or going.

The thing is how many times in the past did a tug save a ship from hitting the bridge to justify having to do it?