Mississippi River – Professional Mariner

02 May

Towboat pilot ‘tried to outrun’ current before Louisiana bridge strike

Professional Mariner StaffCasualty NewsAmerican River Transportation Co., Cooperative Spirit, Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge, mariners, maritime accidents, maritime news, Mississippi River, NTSB

The pilot of a towboat pushing 29 barges down the Mississippi River failed to compensate for the fast-moving current before hitting a bridge pier near Luling, La., federal investigators said. Cooperative Spirit’s tow broke apart after striking the Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge at 0113 on March 15, 2020. One barge sank and another was destroyed. Total damage and lost cargo…

22 Dec

Bayou payday: Dredges dig in to bring Lower Mississippi to 50 feet

Professional Mariner StaffBrownwater, Uncategorizedbrownwater, dredging, Gulf of Mexico, Head of Passes, Mississippi River, Port of Baton Rouge, ship channel

A long-awaited project to deepen the Lower Mississippi River ship channel to 50 feet from the Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, La., is now underway. It will eventually allow larger ships to call at ports and refineries farther upriver than is currently possible, reducing shipping costs for exporters. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it will take four…