A container ship lost some power and propulsion abilities in New York Harbor near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Friday, April 5. The incident occurred weeks after another container ship lost power and struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, on Tuesday, March 26.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the APL Qingdao container ship “experienced a loss of propulsion” while traveling close to the bridge that connects Staten Island to Brooklyn.
Three tugboats were accompanying the vessel at the time, a standard procedure in New York as these large ships make their way to the Atlantic.
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According to the Coast Guard, the tugboats towed the ship until it regained power, and eventually anchored north of the bridge.
The situation is similar to the deadly Baltimore Key Bridge incident, in which a Dali container ship lost power before crashing into the bridge, killing six construction workers.
Authorities said the ship did not come close to making contact with the Verrazzano Bridge, but if it had, the bridge has a rock-based system around its foundation to provide protection.
The APL Qingdao container ship was able to continue its voyage after meeting the Coast Guard’s requirements of repairing the propulsion system. The vessel is now on its way to Norfolk, Virginia.
