A National Transportation Safety Board investigation determined that about 150 feet of a deteriorated dock in Chalmette, Louisiana collapsed into the water in 2023 after a barge contact. The incident occurred as the towing vessel Ovide J was maneuvering two loaded crude oil barges to the Chalmette Refinery crude oil dock, with one of the barges making contact with the transfer platform on one of the dock’s dolphins. Prior inspection reports in 2017 and 2021 had already identified major deterioration and damage on the dolphin, indicating structural integrity issues that were not addressed by the dock owner.
Despite the barge contact, the dock did not break up as a result of the incident, and no significant force was exerted on the dock during the docking process. While there were no injuries or pollution reported, the dock suffered extensive damage to its pipelines, bridges, and pilings, with an estimated repair cost of about $7 million. The investigation highlighted the importance of dock owners regularly inspecting, evaluating, maintaining, and rehabilitating their facilities to ensure the safety of both the environment and vessels navigating the waterways.
As a result of the incident, the dock owner has taken steps to improve monitoring of dock integrity, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to prevent similar accidents in the future. The NTSB report underscored the critical role of scheduling inspections and maintaining waterfront infrastructure to support safe operations and minimize risks to the environment and vessels.
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