NTSB Identifies Cause of Crane Collision at North Charleston Terminal

The National Transportation Safety Board has determined the cause of an STS crane collision at North Charleston Terminal. The incident occurred when a towboat mate failed to consider the horizontal extent of the crane while making passing arrangements with a dredge in the channel. As a result, the towboat’s tall crane barge came into contact with the lowered boom of the STS crane. The incident took place on January 4, 2024, as the towboat Royal Engineer and the crane barge Stevens 1471 were en route to the Pierside Docks from a terminal on the Cooper River.

The towboat’s passage was obstructed by the dredger Brunswick, which had its floating discharge pipeline blocking the navigation channel. The towboat mate attempted to contact the dredger to request the movement of the pipeline but received no response. Eventually, the mate decided to navigate through a narrow slot between the dredger and the pier, where the terminal’s cranes were operating. However, this decision led to the collision with the STS crane’s boom.

The collision caused significant damage to the STS crane, rendering it structurally unstable. The total cost of repairs amounted to $4.5 million. The NTSB concluded that the root cause of the incident was the towboat mate’s failure to identify the STS crane as an overhead hazard. The NTSB advised mariners to always consider the air draft of their vessels and to be aware of potential hazards, such as ship-to-shore cranes extending beyond the side of vessels during cargo operations.

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