MSC Michigan VII's Stuck Throttle Sends the Containership Speeding Out of Charleston

[@spadeespada9432]

Found it! The lost power from the Dali.

[@joshw1687]

Hahahaha 😂. U win for best comment

[@Mohawk21-oi1nit]

STEVE MORRIS ENGINES DYNO AND TESTING IN PROGRESS?????!!!!!

[@poowg2657]

PERFECT!

[@JoshuaC923]

😂

[@robertmarmaduke186]

Interesting 'lost power' with three aux gens, helm straight ahead but magically enough 'lost power' left to then helm over hard to starboard then again plow 'lost power' with helm back straight ahead again, into the pier.

[@nsmith440A]

Hats off all around. Skillful pilot and crew running the slalom course, the USCG for clearing the way, the public safety on the bridge, and you for binging this to the public. And wow, what a bow wave. (Oh yeah, and the tip of the hat to Juan Brown.)

[@ImperatorSupreme]

Charleston Harbor, especially the North Charleston Terminal Michigan VII was coming out of, is a fairly windy channel with several fairly tight turns. Really speaks to the capability of the pilot, crew, and expeditious response of the coast guard that they didn’t end up grounding her.

[@cheddar2648]

There apparently plenty of wash over the rudder to work with. 😂

[@bobdeadbeef]

Speed helps minimize the effects of wind and current. But taking those turns at speed! That’s going to be far outside the pilot and captain’s experience. Extrapolating and getting it right is indeed a testament to their skill.

[@DAISY-eg4vi7xd3w]

Yes the channel isn’t huge. So fast for such a narrow space

[@youjustlikeit3774]

7:40 Mooring dolphins. Perfect example of what happens in a marine environment. Shiny paint above the waterline and total decay below.

[@johnbjorkman4144]

Exactly - maintenance is always delayed in the budgets because it ain't sexy.

[@paradiselost9946]

sounds like most of current world civilisation... tawdry flashy exterior, a facade for a core of rubbish.

[@flashover2362]

I don't think the container ship caused the dolphin to fail. The bow was just exiting the shot, and you see the fronts of containers on the desk instead of the back. Was that wave/wake that hit the dolphin really from the MSC Michigan VII? Shouldn't the Cape Diamond be showing more movement of the mooring lines and the hull than just on the collapsed dolphin? Wouldn't the vessel the video being shot from also start moving? I grew up on the Pacific Coast, near the mouth of the Columbia River. I've seen and felt the wake of large vessels going by, both from shore and in a boat well out of the shipping channel. There normally is more wake/wave action following closer behind the first swell than like you see coming to the dolphin when it collapses. What that clip shows happening at the dolphin seems more like timing (good or bad?) than a direct result of the container ship passing.

[@AnimeSunglasses]

@@flashover2362 my thought is that the footings may have been scoured away. I'll have to watch it again too check if that makes sense with the angle of fall.

[@youjustlikeit3774]

@@flashover2362 I have spent many days on that river at that exact spot. Not bragging. There is a LOT of that ship below the surface. Not only does it push water but it pulls water. That happens before and after the ship goes by. Especially at over 15 mph. These ships don't throw out "wake" like a speed boat. Most of the force is not even visible. Biggest factor is that the 12 pilings holding that pier cap (dolphin) had to be either damaged or not adequately driven into the mud. And it's JUST mud. Could have been scouring away for years. Why it collapsed? I don't know. I guess is lack of adequate bearing due to age (deterioration) or scour.

[@magalengo]

That dolphin collapsed way too easy. 😮

[@graniteamerican3547]

how fast should a dolphin collapse? landlubber here.

[@Mishn0]

It flopped faster than a World Cup Soccer player.

[@mrexists5400]

I thought you were talking about the animal at first :p

[@emmanuelgoldstein1918]

@@graniteamerican3547 It should never collapse on porpoise!

[@AnimeSunglasses]

@@graniteamerican3547 Someone beat me to the pun! But the straight answer is, nothing short of a ship at speed crashing into one SHOULD make it collapse. It's there to stabilize the ship in dock, it SHOULD be able to hold against a hurricane storm surge... The fact that it collapsed that easily suggests to me that its footings on the riverbed have been scoured out, i.e., the earth under and around them has been mostly eroded away. Other options are also plausible.

[@Mishn0]

I like that Leroy Grumman got a ship named after him. I also like how the two Coasties took off after "Beer Money" @11:10. I'd have thought it was quitting time on Friday!

[@a_trauma_llama2991]

Came here to say the same thing. I don't know how to check, is Beer Money ok or did he get smoked?

[@FierBarca1899]

Thank you, Sal. The successful maneuvering of the MSC Michigan VII looks like right out of a movie script. Kudos to the captain, the pilot, the crew, the Coast Guard, the PD, tug boat captains, and all safety personnel.

[@daverogers1472]

We were in Charleston when this happened, and the ship completely waked out several boats at the Maritime museum dock, causing extensive damage.

[@RNemy509]

Shit 🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦 that royally sucks that happened

[@AnonOmis1000]

What do you mean by "waked out"? I assume you mean that the wake it created was so big it made ships touch bottom?

[@warrenpuckett4203]

It was to woke too pay attention?

[@fishyles]

I work at the sailing camp down here and holy shit, our dock was wrecked. We had to pull 3 sailboats out of the channel as it was coming in.

[@DougBow96]

Nice shout out to Juan Browne. Thanks for the details on the engine control and why you would not shutoff the fuel. Very interesting.

[@loopwithers]

Note to viewers under 24 years old: before you were born, there was no internet. The first 20 million years were tough. Trust Sal. Keep away from old ships.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Don't even begin to start talking to them about Pay phones or a Pre Windows universe.

[@TacticalRuse]

How do you expect me to buy a ship then

[@bryanst.martin7134]

@@WALTERBROADDUS Or Plug and Pray? Early Windows made many faithful followers. And many haters too.

[@loopwithers]

@@TacticalRuse Buy it, restore it and upgrade all the Comms. Captain Savage. Explorer, adventurer and also protector of old bridges, defender of wharves and docksides, possessor of remarkably low cost marine insurance 😸

[@firstlast1047]

​@@TacticalRuseHow do you expect to buy "used" anything???

[@alandaters8547]

If losing power is terrifying, being stuck at full power must be far worse. If any vessel along its path had moved in front of it, the collision is at 15 knots of momentum + the engine thrust. Looking at the map, a cascade of several collisions could have occurred!

[@moleisrich1]

Juan reference was epic I got a chuckle…

[@wgowshipping]

Always throw some respect toward Juan.

[@rrj6068]

​@@wgowshipping .... Juan Browne whose channel is " The Blanco Lirio Chanel " is also referred to as "Bravo Lima Heavy " ...

[@OceanMack]

Now that Maersk saw it is possible to sail out from container terminal at 16kts, they will want their ship to be moved at that speed to save time like they did at Maasvlakte, Rotterdam, Netherlands after the simulator runners showed they could go faster than pilots previously agreed to run.

[@JaniceVineyard-kf6wm]

That must have been terrifying, poor crew, a blessing it resolved well.

[@IamNiggler]

Big gay daddy yum

[@breezecreationsllc9381]

I've sailed on all types of vessels, From the Navy, a Military Sealift Command, Great Lakes Gulf, you name it all over the world for over 23 years. The only time we make the news is when something happens, They never talk about all the good things we do, like keeping the world going.

[@maryeckel9682]

That's because normal operations are...normal. News has to be unusual. "If it bleeds, it leads."

[@bamahama707]

Perhaps that is your job?

[@J.R.in_WV]

It’s the unfortunate way of the world, we land-lubbers in the trucks and trains that move on land what you bring in to port get the same treatment. Aside from the occasional fluff piece they only talk about us when something goes horribly wrong.

[@breezecreationsllc9381]

@@J.R.in_WV As they would say when I grew up, Show you right when you know you right. I know I have a CDL. I have several box trucks, I tell the guys that work with me that the job they do is very important. Don't feel like your just some peon.

[@breezecreationsllc9381]

Being a Merchant Marine used to mean something at one time. These days people don't even know what a Merchant Marine is.

[@edeyden1326]

Thank goodness that situation didn't happen while coming into port!!!

[@kd0r]

1. I've had my 50' boat in the marina at Patriot Point. It's not all that well protected from wakes. I must have been an "interesting" ride for those in the marina. 2. I suffered the opposite problem on a USN Frigate. Throttle open, shaft not moving. Seized shaft bearing. To make it fun we were in the exclusion zone doing ASW at the entrance to the Straits of Gibraltar. And Of Course! it was the mid-watch. Thanks Sal, David

[@jamesbrennan2698]

Hi Sal,,, good report, looking forward to future findings. I'm a retired Maersk Line, Ltd Captain and have gone into Wando and North Charleston terminals numerous times. The Charleston Branch Pilot Assoc is one of the best, very skilled and very professional. That includes the pilot (Captain Chris) aboard the MSC ship during this incident. The docking Masters (pilots in the port of Charleston) are highly qualified as well. My hats off to departing/transiting under these conditions with such little damage/injuries. You are right to want to see verification of the required engine test (on fuel) prior to leaving the dock. I believe that it was flood tide, so no need to start prior to the turn. That would have been disastrous. And if not a flood tide the ships speed would have been even greater, the ship less maneuverable, and much more potential for a major incident to occur. Did the docking Master even have a chance to disembark? I'd be surprised if he did and if he didn't, did he still have the conn, just wondering? Excellent and gutsy call (by the pilot - Moran or Charleston Branch) to keep the engines running head. I assume the engineers tried to take control of the engines, engine side? What happened there? That's a required test, when was it last done and was this crew familiar with conducting it? That would be interesting to know. Lasty, probably quick action by both the ships & tugs crew to let go the tugs lines preventing serious injury to either crew. Waiting to see what the reports show. Thanks again.

[@user-mp3eq6ir5b]

Running downstream with several tugs clattering like beer cans behind a "Just Married" car...

[@bigdmac33]

There is one person who was not mentioned when the plaudits were being given out. This person alone saved the day and deserves high praise and that person is the pilot. Hell of a job, sir, hell of a job.

[@karlbrundage7472]

I'll add that the helmsman is heroic, as it takes skill and a steady nerve to answer the helm orders, make the rudder change, announce the confirmation of the change, announce the status of the rudder and then announce that you're steady on the new course. That doesn't include any of the intermediate orders that the pilot might make, like altering the final course, shifting the rudder to clear a hazard, "meeting her" to stay on a current course to thread the needle of an obstacle, etc. A good helmsman is at the heart of every good captain/pilot......................................

[@andriusgedrimas]

Sal, This report, following the Dali incident - wouldn't be all cities with ports having bridges alike - wouldn't they be scrambling on increasing maritime safety and security? I know I would 😂 Greetings from Arctic Finland!

[@AnimeSunglasses]

Fitting a bridge with more protections against a collision is neither easy nor fast, if that's what you're asking. As for increasing security, the speed and surety of Coast Guard and police response in this case does suggest that they are being very aware of security needs. As with the MV Dali, the _cause_ being probably rooted in maintenance issues means that addressing THAT part requires moving corporate bureaucracies, which is an even more complex and grueling task...

[@tombriggman2875]

Sal, summer of 1974, Crete was in civil war and my ship (USS CONCORD AFS5) embarked 100 marines at Rota, Spain and assumed wartime steaming conditions. The route had us transiting the Straits of Messina, at 15+ knots in a darken ship condition. My Sea and Anchor station was on the bridge and it was very cool to zoom through the straits, while hearing the Italian CG on the radio, yelling Capitano, stopa you ship". The skipper's response was "helmsman maintain course and speed".

[@charlesgantz5865]

First, I think you mean Cyprus. The Cretan Civil War was just after WW2. Second, it seems like a pretty dumb thing to do. The chances of running into something, in the dark, in the busy Straits of Messina are far greater than the chances that the Turkish, Greek, or Cypriot Navies would attack a U.S. warship.

[@jeffreyhill8040]

Was refueling alongside Concord more than once, I believe, with DDG-5 during two Med Cruises in '75 and '76. I have to agree with the commenter below that it was actually Greece and Turkey having a tussle over Cyprus in 1974, not Crete. Went through the Straits of Messina many times and was amazed at how narrow that slot is! With a power line actually crossing between Italy and Sicily then, and ferries and other small boats crossing in front of your path. Yikes!

[@HarryWHill-GA]

I wish I could have been on the bridge of Nimitz (CVN-68), Texas (CGN-39), or California (CGN-36) at the end of 1979 when they made a 30kt transit of the Straits of Gibraltar in line-ahead formation while doing a VERTREP. They then sped up and held it all the way around Africa to the Persian Gulf. That would be a transit to remember.

[@mikearmstrong8483]

That needed a court martial for whoever ordered wartime steaming. The US was not at war and was not going to be attacked by Greece or Turkey, both US allies, and certainly not off Italy, far from the conflict area. Completely ignoring safety and the local maritime authority should have landed someone in Leavenworth. I'd love to hear the excuses offered after a ferry was rammed and sank with loss of hundreds of lives. "Oh, but it was wartime! Between ....... somebody.........somewhere .....Maybe we might have been attacked by the mafia, or North Korea, or neoMussolinists." IF your story is true, you had an idiot for a captain.

[@mikearmstrong8483]

How does one pass between Sicily and the Italian mainland (the Straights of Messina) while going from Spain to the Eastern Med? That's like going from Denver to Boston by way of Seattle.

[@Inkling777]

If you can get the radio traffic, that should prove interesting.

[@mannymayer9250]

Mooring dolphins and docks that have wooden pilings are a favorite place for pile worms. They may look fine from the outside but are full of holes on the inside. We still have a lot of bridges with wooden piling also that are rotten on the inside. Our neglect of the countries infrastructure in past decades is catching up!

[@richardcranium3579]

FJB

[@GetSmart-v9b]

Great video ! Shout out to Public service, Mariners and Coast guard personnel. You are APPRECIATED.

[@joeblow5037]

Imagine if you were on the SS Minnow with that thing coming full speed at ya 😲 I....personally....world have grabbed Mary Anne and jumped for it. Sorry, Ginger. 😏

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Strangely enough, Ginger is still hanging in there. She wins the Survivor prize.

[@joeblow5037]

@@WALTERBROADDUS lol true dat last one left me thinks

[@simplyamazing880]

I'd say the ships crew and the pilot ought to be up for some kind of medal. Unless, of course they in some way caused the failure but man these guys aren't used to navigating at speed down a curving narrow waterway. Awesome navigation.

[@herbertocobock9436]

Modeled from brown and yellow skivvies.

[@slehar]

Mentioned Juan Brown Blankolirio channel! He’s the best in aviation

[@SerendipityChild]

Thank you for sharing

[@baomao7243]

Blancolirio

[@christianbottger493]

Browne with an "e" at the end

[@kitsune303]

Did I see the chief waterskiing behind the ship?

[@novacat3032]

no... it's a coyote... when the MSC Michigan VII blasted her horn to signal she's now under her own power... it made 'beep beep' and set the throttle to full ahead and said coyote apeared out of nowhere chasing the ship (knife and fork in his paws strangly)

[@Dudz_MgGee]

Props to the Coast Guard. You guys rock! Props to the local PD, they made a plan, and executed it, when there was a real risk of loss of life. Thanks you Sal. Kickass vid.

[@andrewmccune3443]

Sal, just FYI, I worked for 10 years at a pier on the Cooper River Fjust south of the old bridge (Ravenel bridge is the new bridge in the same location. Both the Cooper and Ashley rivers are tidal and fluctuate with the tides every 6 hours. The middle of the ebb tide where I worked flows at approxinately 9 knots. Ships exiting on the ebb tide have more trouble than those leaving on the flood tide which is almost as strong as the ebb. Might have a bearing on how well that ship got through safely.

[@robertbennett6697]

Seems very fast for tides at the given latitude.

[@michaelimbesi2314]

I think you are confused. 9 knots would be fast for even river rapids, let alone a navigable channel. That’s about the top speed of most tugboats.

[@alonespirit9923]

USNS Leroy Grumman, now there's a famous name in Naval history. Will note that his products usually fell out of the sky when they tried to go fifteen knots.

[@crakkbone]

Could you elaborate?

[@griffinfaulkner3514]

​@@crakkbonePlanes typically don't fly very well at those speeds. As in, _at all._

[@alonespirit9923]

@@crakkbone I'm sick and almost out of energy for the day, plug Leroy Grumman and Grover Loening in to your favorite search engine.

[@davidcerullo7976]

Excellent video, Sal! Very informative and interesting 👍 ❤

[@robertlevine2152]

Sal, I'll put my two cents worth in once again, don't underestimate the strength of the dolphins protecting the bridge piers. The bridge design should have been done with a "worst-case scenario" as part of their engineering calculations. The worst-case may be a 100-year storm, a Force 5 hurricane, a tanker (truck) fire near the pier at the most heavily loaded cable, or a ship allision. You study each incident individually. The odds of having two incidents at the same time are low. In the case of a worst-case allision it would be the largest ship at its maximum speed. You then determine the weakest part of the dolphin and the maximum force. Now you design the dolphin so the pier is safe and the ship suffers all the damage. You reduce the depth so the ship grounds. The dolphin itself can cut the hull and crush the hull structure. It would be better to sink the ship than to have the bridge destroyed. As I've said before I directed temporary repairs to patch two holes one 10'×100' and the other 10'×200'. Score Dolphin 1 - 120,000 DWT Tanker 0. Bob

[@NRZ-3Pi10]

For the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, Wiki says “To protect the bridge from errant ships, the towers are flanked by one-acre (0.40 ha) rock islands.” Given the width of the bridge with ~40m, this suggests the islands could be e.g. size of 100m x 40m (330ft x 133ft), since I’d expect there will be longer part in direction along the river (i.e. parallel to the channel; so e.g. 30m + 40m + 30m = 100m). However, pictures only show the part above water-surface, of course. The way you describe the protective structure suggests it could have shape of a wedge (with most of it under water), made of hardened concrete towards the tips. Not necessarily with sharp tip, but such that it immediately will tear holes in the ship’s hull. Or is it dolphins / poles (additionally) surrounding the rock island below water surface? In either case, in-rushing water already adding some first counterforce to ships movement and adding weight to keep the bow down. But given the huge inertia, but most absorption will come from the ship pushing towards the tapered wedge then. We’d better not imagine how these pillars would collapse if MV Michigan VII would directly hit them without being slowed down before, with an energy approx. 4 times higher (since twice the speed and approx. same size) than that of MV Dali in Baltimore …

[@emmanuelgoldstein1918]

I'm very familiar with that section of the Cooper river and Charelston Harbor area. It would've been quite a sight to see one of those containers ships going fast through the river; it's wide, but not very wide, and the channel isn't all that wide. There is a marina at Patriot's Point on the northside opposite Charelston. The USS Yorktown ship museum is next to it. I'm sure all those boats there got tossed around pretty good from the wake.

[@davidmonro3270]

Usually there are three engineers on the standby. One night we were departing on bridge control fully laden. The first movement was astern then second ahead. However the control stuck on second movement. We shut the hydraulic pump off and then drained the residual pressure from the automatic system. That allowed the control lever to be brought to stop. Then manoeuvred on manual. The problem was the shuttle in the actuator had seized on the second movement. This was caused by the oxidation of the hydraulic oil in high engine room temperature over time causing it to form varnish. What they didn't do was drain the residual pressure in the pump so the lever was on full ahead. They probably shut the pump off but did not relieve the pressure and spent their time trying to pull the control lever back. They would not have a hope in hell doing that. It is always the time it happens.

[@jamesnichols7507]

We used to call this “balls to the wall.”

[@wgowshipping]

Still do

[@lardo666]

And some derive the expression 'going balls out' from the old governors on steam engines - where two heavy balls generated enough centrifugal force to operate the (mechanical) throttle linkages

[@captiannemo1587]

They still work like this in most automatic transmissions into the 1990.

[@edmanners6680]

I bet you that Captain was saying oh s*** here we go again

[@--_DJ_--]

​@captiannemo1587 Well, not really. Brass balls and spool valves are a bit different. Same concept though.

[@MR2Davjohn]

Great job done by the Coast Guard, the tug companies and the police getting the ship out through the anchorage.

[@StevenPalmer-cs5ix]

Most direct drive diesel engines of the era go to 50 rpms and then decrease to the RPM for the telegraph order. Most of those ships rolled the engine on air ahead and astern as part of the pre-departure gear test. This was due to the above mentioned engine behavior. Great job by all involved in dealing with a major "pucker factor".

[@chiphill4856]

Charlestonian here, been boating and fishing and sailing in Chas Harbor for 50 years. Everyone is talking about possible collision with the Ravenel bridge, but the river is wide and reasonably straight near the bridge. The real test is the super tight turn between Patriots Point marina and Castle Pinckney. It's a super tight, narrow left turn. I can't imagine seeing 1000' of steel barreling through there! If the Michigan had run aground at castle Pinckney, it would have shut down the entire port. Congrats to the harbor pilot onboard!

[@michaelimbesi2314]

The pilot did an excellent job. Also, those coastie boats can *move*. I saw that second one clear 40 knots on the AIS.

[@matthewcox7985]

Destin at Smarter Every Day did a few videos about the Coast Guard. Worth a watch.

[@jawadad73]

if these dolphins already collapse i hate to think about the berths on the Mississippi...

[@MADHIKER777]

Kudos to the talented ships crew and to shore personnel clearing the bridge, just in case. I wonder if they were sending out 4 blasts from their horn on the way downstream?

[@phantomsplit3491]

I am almost certain this is not an issue of getting locked out of remote engine control. They should be able to go to local control in that scenario. You as a mate should be familiar with the regular tests you would do using the engine order telegraph and sound powered phone on the vessel's bridge. Those are able to communicate with equipment right next to the main engine. The engine control room has these as well, and often the ability to control engine speed. That is not what I am talking about here. I mean right next to the engine on the camshaft deck. From there you can disconnect all remote control of the engine and control it manually. This is almost certainly not related to remote control lock out. If it is due to remote control lock out, then hey mistakes by the crew happen. But I would say the bigger issue is crew training and drills for not taking local control in an emergency.

[@JoeKubinec]

Command transfer protocol can be confusing, particularly if it is not done very often by the crew. After an incident like this it seems blame is immediately placed on "control system failure", but in fact it is operator error. I tend to go with the operator error theory because the regulatory bodies are very strict about ensuring redundancy in the control system. Yet, the fact that operators continue to make command transfer protocol errors indicates to me that the man-machine interface is defective / not intuitive enough / not easy enough for operators, who are under stress, to execute a transfer.

[@raymondsosnowski9717]

Fortunately the vessel was outbound, and not inbound! Likewise, quick action by the USCG & the police on the bridge! I saw MV Dali in Baltimore Harbor over Memorial Day Weekend - a sobering view to be sure! Thanks, Prof. Sal!

[@Luckydog557]

Always enjoy your insights. I’m a 36’ Bavarian owner and have had many “exciting” moments but I can skip this thrill 😂

[@cheddar2648]

We need a Juan Browne, Ward Carroll, Sal Mercogliano panel for every mishap.

[@perpetualpunster]

1. Make the call to keep the power on. 2. Cue "Highway to the Danger Zone" on the radio. 3. Put on sunglasses. 4. Ride it out.

[@alexandermonro6768]

Thanks to the pilot, crew, and coasties, great job that there were no fatalities or major damage. Also, looking at the inspection records, we were lucky that the steering didn't fail. That would've been BAD!

[@larryhand7219]

I always thought Juan Brown was imitating you.

[@VeraHannaford]

Thanks for the breakdown. As a Charleston resident, who crosses the bridge by car and sometimes walks it, this is wild. I am so glad that the authorities worked hard to keep people safe, and that no one was seriously injured.

[@jonrolfson1686]

Will pull five dozen water skiers up on next departure, see sign-up list if interested.

[@ttystikkrocks1042]

I learn something new every time I watch a video and I come away both entertained AND informed and that's a pretty neat trick to pull off once, let alone consistently! Time well spent and that's the highest praise. Well done, Sal and I look forward to seeing you for many years to come!

[@MrSupro]

Yea… Juan Browne BlancoLirio and you should do joint videos. If we can also get a trucking expert and a rail expert we could have the NTSB round table.

[@QALibrary]

very good with the movie references

[@daveyoder9231]

Hey Sal, very good, well done channel, with an excellent variety of topics. This video was very clear- what you know, what can be deduced, and what is not known. As a history guy, I appreciate your perspective. A tiny bone to pick- only named USCG vessels are "cutters", typically 65' and over. Under that length, they're "boats". The latter are referred to by their hull numbers, often shortened by dropping the first 2 digits, which designate the type's length. So the famous 36 footer used to rescue SS Pendleton crew was 36500, or "the 500". I spent 11 years in the USCG Auxiliary, and have nothing but respect for the active and reserve Coasties, and professional mariners. The sea does not care about your intentions. Experience, skill and luck are the only things that count. Thanks for a great channel!

[@ShakesSphere]

Wouldn't there have been a risk to the fore tug and it's crew, when the Michigan's speed suddenly took off??

[@wgowshipping]

They were already clear once they went ahead.

[@TheAverageDutchman]

I wonder how much the events in Baltimore haunted the thoughts of the crew in this situation and whether in influenced their decision to stay under power. In any case, hats off to the crew and pilot for getting that ship out of there without so much as a scratch

[@Ghazghkull460]

Guess it's a good thing these big ships are relatively slow. Imagine if it was capable of 30+ knots

[@wgowshipping]

She is actually rated at 25 but was set at maneuvering speed.

[@TheTrainWatch]

I wonder if a different decision would have been made re: cutting fuel versus full speed ahead if there had not been a very recent and very newsworthy event of what a no power situation could end up as.

[@chiphill4856]

The story of the Dali is new to lay people, but maritime officers are quite aware of emergency protocols as part of their job. They knew what to do without any outside influence.

[@mattheide2775]

Scotty informed Kirk that he is giving her all she's got😊 Yeah I'm that old, it happens faster than you want and you bought the ticket so ya gotta take the ride.

[@SteamCrane]

After watching the Dali event, I'm concerned about the large amount of flare on the bows of container ships, designed to widen the cargo deck far forward. Once the ship has stopped against a protective structure, the bow flare is ahead and extending off to the side, and could still reach a bridge pier. I also wonder how much strength the bulbous bow has, is it a battering ram or a crush zone?

[@everettputerbaugh3996]

Given that all conversations get around to Star Trek: I recall Cpt. Kirk ordering 1/4 impulse while inside space dock... the Vulcan at the helm later said that she had always wanted to do that.

[@extractedentertainment8213]

7:00 Anything below 65’ is just called by its length, “29xxx” 65’ and over are called cutters. Small pet peeve 😝 USCG 2002-2010

[@EricDKaufman]

Yo Sal, GO STATE!!! Also, my sister and parents live in Charleston and barely heard about this in the news. I can only imagine the wake at Fort Moultrie before she entered the break water. Due to that effect of squatting, how close do you think she was to grounding??? Maybe you answer this, I am only hitting play now.

[@wgowshipping]

I did not, but she was not fully loaded so I don't think there was much danger of that.

[@JohnSmith-qi9qs]

Pretty scary being on a private boat coming in to visit Charleston and meeting that wake! Yeehaa!

[@david-sv3kg]

Wonder if the helmsman was calling out Leeeeeroy Jeeenkiiins!

[@matthewcox4]

From Charleston, SC...Thank you for the update sir!

[@jonnyb2774]

Loving the Juan Brown reference.

[@scottfw7169]

Sounds almost, almost, like what would happen if, "Helm, make speed in knots equal to hours UTC."

[@erikjohnson3255]

Those MARAD ships are docked at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) in Charleston.

[@shaggyofwv]

Clarkson would never say “too much power”.

[@wgowshipping]

More power would be accurate!

[@Ganiscol]

Oh he is on record saying that more than once, usually when he wrecked something because of it. 😅

[@montanagetaway6175]

"POWER AND SPEED"

[@AnimeSunglasses]

"IS there... such a thing AS Too Much Powah?"

[@Nexfero]

Sounds like a wild ride 😅 imagine the wake.🌊

[@durgan5668]

Kinda thinking, just musing really, that the situation in Baltimore would result in ALL US ports doing surveys of their infrastructure. Should have already been a priority, but we have got to stop kicking needed maintenance down the road. Get it done.

[@fountainvalley100]

A couple of thoughts. Gutsy call by the ships crew. You have no throttle control and no expectation that steering control will continue. Second is what happens if don’t completely shut the fuel off? What if you close the valve by 50%.

[@MADHIKER777]

I wouldn't want to be a kayaker at that time, LOL.

[@matthewcox7985]

How about surfers?

[@xheralt]

You can't cut all power. Forward motion equals steering ability. Mind you at the BEST of times, a freighter "looks like a fish, moves like a fish, steers like a COW" but responsiveness _goes down_ as a boat goes very slow...this is true whether you're in 15' river outboard speedboat or the USS Wisconsin!

[@glennjames7107]

Why, because we have become too reliant on electronics for controlling these vessels. I'm not implying the ship was cyber attacked ! I'm referring to the reliability issues with electronics, which we have gone almost entirely to these days. It's basically fly by wire, only It's a huge ship. When you have an electrical issue it is very hard to find the point of issue in these very complex systems.

[@timshowalter4076]

It looks like the navy ship was moving and the mooring lines were oscillating before the dolphin failed. Energy transfer between ships can be powerful under the surface. But the dolphins should be designed with Atlantic storms in mind.

[@WillieShlug]

As someone who knows this area blindfolded, the pilot, Master, and local response agencies are to be commended. In regards to a ship colliding with the Ravenel bridge: irregardless of the rock islands protecting the bridge columns, a ship drawing more than 30ish ft would run around on the outskirts of the channel far before coming close to the bridge.

[@harryjennings5602]

My instinct would be with 80,000 tons to cut the throttle once hitting 15kt, figuring the momentum would keep steerage until 6kt, which would be awhile down river. How long does it take an 80,000 tonner to scrub off 9 knots of speed? (Also given that you scrub speed quicker in a turn than going straight.) Can a tug help at all once you have come down to 6 knots, or is there a "window of doom" between losing steerage and getting down into the 2kt range where tugs usually operate? I am also assuming steering gear operates separately from the engines; that is, that there is redundant power to the steering gear so once you cut the engines, you don't lose steering instantly, even though you still have steerage. I'm a sailor, not a merchant mariner, so I ask the questions with genuine interest. Great seamanship to swing that beast through the twisties and not ground. I don't know Charleston Harbor, but I do know Savannah and Brunswick and the channels are not nearly as wide as people might think.

[@olpaint71]

I'd be interested in your list of the best maritime movies .

[@greyjay9202]

Blue lights and sirens, on those USCG 29 footers, as the Michigan VII bolted down the channel like a rogue elephant. Good thinking by the police, to clear the suspension bridge. It would seem that the Michigan VII is not a well run ship, with all those inspection faults. Eight items flagged in Australia alone. As she makes her way down the South American coast, port directors will be watchful.

[@1verstapp]

>deficiencies ''but we *can't afford* to do maintenance.'' just like us infrastructure.

[@antiussentiment]

I always eye roll that when something goes wrong, there's always a small cohort of US folk that scream "terrorists". Props to the Skipper and Pilot on that thing for managing that situation so we'll.

[@Look_What_You_Did]

The uneducated used to be educated enough to keep their trap shut. Now they are entitled... empowered... to run their mouths. Even though they are the minority they are the loudest.

[@chrish931]

Sure, there are too many alarmist but you would cut off the US Navy from rearming nuclear subs on the east coast at the Joint base Charleston Naval Weapons station if you cut off Charleston harbor, so from a strategic point of view, the harbor is an extremely high level target, its not too crazy to ask the question if it was a bad actor, especially in the current geopolitical climate.

[@soft-conf]

I'm telling you... mate I got the best movie idear, SPEED + TITANIC. I'm telling you mate its gonna be a smashin hit, A BOX OFFICE BOOM! whaddaya say? wanna fund the project?

[@Darisiabgal7573]

Parachutes, really really big parachutes🤣 Sal do you ever wake up night thinking all these guys are doing it to get on you channel😎 DALi Pelican island bridge, Runaway ship, Runaway bridgehead Runaway missiles hitting their own ships. Could you imagine if that happened while the ship was going up the channel?

[@raffyzoo2130]

nice to mention JB. & the blancolirio world hdqtrs. at all costs, avoid any collisions or bent metal or get the wrath of NTSB which will cause grief

[@Pamudder]

Love your reference to Jeremy Clarkson. :-). Can you imagine the pucker factor in the crew of that 29-foot Coast Guard boat?

[@davecolman9446]

USCG vessels over 65' have names and are referred to as a Coast Guard Cutter. Vessels less than 65' are numbered. The first two numerals gives you the vessel length. The boat is referred to by it's class or usage; Utility Boat 41XXX or Response Boat Medium 45XXX

[@henryostman5740]

Humm. seems like most commercial vessels like this are single screw/single engine.....so throttleS? probably singular. Judging by how high it is out of the water load must be really light, hauling empty containers back to Chiner maybe? Prop was probably half out of the water as well, bet that made a splash. Having worked the levers in an older ship, there is nothing like the sweaty hands of an old seaman on these levers. I wasn't old then but the 1st class in back of me screaming in my ear (we were in the engine room) did have some grey hairs (probably from coaching deckies like me during ER familiarization). Do they still make engine room telegraphs?

[@N7-WAR-HOUND]

Please Forgive my ignorance But were situations like this always so Frequent? Or is this just a particularly dense few months of domestic shipping accidents

[@sailorgabbie]

We used to call the Cape Edmont the "Deadmont" Those piers are on what is now FLETC Charleston. Its all federal property. MARAD might be responsible for the pier and dolphin condition (given that those are RRF vessels) and is certainly aware now. Ain't shipping great.

[@wgreenjr81]

You’ve got me curious, what would you say are the 5-10 BEST movies about shipping

[@wdhewson]

Those southern boys are on their game !!!

[@SuperDave_BR549]

was tim taylor the honorary chief engineer at the time?

[@1MrAngel1]

No immigrant workers were drowned as in Baltimore.

[@jeremyholland4527]

I’m an 88N working the military port here in Charleston. We were working the Ocean Jazz and no one knew anything about this. The amount of detail that goes into these videos is amazing! Please keep up the good work and keep us informed on what’s going on with shipping!

[@lukasvisagie9513]

Amazing seamanship, Bravo Zulu to all involved. Would love to see a video of events on the bridge whilst all this was going on! Thank you Sal for all the additional information provided - puts things in context and makes it that much more interesting and informative. I really enjoy your channel, thank you!

[@robinblackmoor8732]

You would think the guys that have their lives depending on these ships would do a way better job of maintaining them and inspecting them.

[@FerrisSOCAL]

Hanging on the lever for the ship's horn all the way out

[@chiphill4856]

Had to be!

[@Intabih]

The boat names are a riot.

[@martinmoffit8950]

BEER MONEY!

[@AnimeSunglasses]

@@martinmoffit8950 Oh snap, I missed that one... Gotta watch again!

[@Intabih]

@@martinmoffit8950Brat Pack.

[@KevinWindsor1971]

I named my old 1977 22 foot Crestliner with the ol' Chevy straight 6 (Mercruiser 165) MYOTT.

[@AnimeSunglasses]

@@KevinWindsor1971 ... should I recognize the reference?