NTSB reports on costly barge contact with grain terminal
Written by Marine Log Staff
The National Transportation Safety Board has issued its report on an October 2018 incident in which a barge pushed by an ARTCO towboat slammed into a grain terminal causing extensive damage.
According to NTSB’s executive summary, on October 23, 2018, about 1426 local time, the towing vessel Andrew Cargill MacMillan was pushing 42 loaded barges southbound on the Lower Mississippi River, near Tallulah, Louisiana. While rounding a bend, the tow touched bottom, resulting in the head of the tow contacting breasting dolphins and a conveyor at the Farmers Grain Terminal at mile 442.4. The conveyor was destroyed, and the dolphins and a lead barge were damaged. There were no injuries to the ten crew on board or anyone ashore. There was no release of pollutants. Damage was estimated at $8 million for the conveyor and dolphins and about $74,000 for the barge.
Probable Cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the contact of the tow of the Andrew Cargill MacMillan with the Farmers Grain Terminal breasting dolphins and conveyor was the pilot’s over-reliance on floating aids to navigation, which resulted in the tow being out of position and sliding too deep into the bend before the terminal to recover and successfully complete the turn.
Read the full report HERE
