Towboat Narrowly Avoids Collision with Historic Paddlewheeler in New Orleans

Last weekend in New Orleans, a towboat narrowly avoided hitting a historic paddlewheeler moored on the Mississippi waterfront. The towboat, Robert L. Knight, was carrying 24 empty hopper barges and approached a sharp river bend at Algiers Point with strong winds and a small craft advisory in effect. It narrowly missed the paddlewheeler Natchez, then drifted towards a moored ferry before the ferry quickly departed to avoid a collision.

The Coast Guard reported that the towboat had been “pinned on to the bank piling at Algiers Point” due to the strong winds. An investigation is ongoing, but no damages or injuries were reported. The quick actions of the ferry’s crew prevented any damage to the vessel. The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority expressed gratitude to the ferry operator and crew for preventing a potential collision that could have caused significant damage.

The Natchez, the last authentic steam-powered riverboat in New Orleans, was built in 1975 and operates as a harbor tour and dinner-cruise boat. Despite a recent engine room fire in 2022, which was quickly extinguished with minimal damage, the vessel has been restored and returned to service. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential hazards of navigating the Mississippi River, but it is not considered a major cause for concern.

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