Ships colliding with bridges is rare, but it’s happened in Charleston before

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Images of a container ship that struck a Baltimore bridge early Tuesday morning, causing the structure to collapse, may hit close to home for people who live and work along the Charleston coast.

Charleston Harbor is home to the country’s eighth-largest container port with cargo ships of various sizes passing beneath its many bridges every day. While impacts like the Baltimore crash are uncommon, local bridges have been struck by large vessels in the past.

CARGO SHIP CRASHES INTO GRACE MEMORIAL BRIDGE

A large vessel known as the Nicaragua Victory collided with a bridge that connected Charleston and Mount Pleasant in February 1946. Long before the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, drivers traveled two narrow lanes along the Grace Memorial Bridge.

According to a document from the Town of Mount Pleasant, a sudden storm caused the freight ship to crash into the Grace Memorial. It opened a 240-foot gap in the structure and caused a car with a family of five to fall into the water below.

The bridge, named after former Charleston mayor John P. Grace, had to be closed for some time while crews made repairs. It highlighted a need for a second bridge.

OIL TANKER STRIKES ASHLEY RIVER MEMORIAL BRIDGE

A bridge that connects West Ashley to downtown Charleston suffered damage after an oil tanker named Fort Fetterman collided with the structure on the morning of October 5, 1955.

According to a 1958 filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals – Tank Steamer The Fort Fetterman v. The South Carolina State Highway Department, the tanker arrived in Charleston on Oct. 4 to deliver creosote and tar at Koppears Company dock. On its way out, the vessel collided with the west side of the bridge around 9:39 a.m., destroying the western bascule (pivoting arm of the bridge).

Findings revealed the cause of that crash was negligent navigation of the Fort Federman while attempting to move through the draw portion and not accounting for winds and tide.

While other issues have occurred with area bridges in recent years, none have included impact from passing vessels.

Officials with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) said the department utilizes an elaborate system to protect the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston Harbor. There are large stone structures underneath the Cooper River to protect the bridge.

They said the Ravenel Bridge was also designed to withstand a high level of impact, including the loss of cables.

The Don Holt Bridge on I-526 also has some measures to protect against traffic from the type of cargo ships that travel through the channel. Officials with SCDOT say the future replacement of that bridge will allow them to adopt similar measures.

“We anticipate this will be a larger, higher structure that will be in alignment with Ravenel and support the continued growth of our Port,” said SCDOT’s Hannah Robinson.

Meanwhile, Liz Crumley, director of corporate communications for the South Carolina Ports Authority said the SC Ports, SCDOT, and Charleston Branch Pilots Association engaged in conversations early Tuesday morning regarding the incident in Baltimore. They plan to jointly review harbor operations, procedures, and state infrastructure.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.