A large container ship experienced an engine failure near New York City, leading it to come to a halt close to the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on Friday night. This incident occurred less than two weeks after a similar failure caused another sizable cargo vessel to collide with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The US Coast Guard confirmed that their Vessel Traffic Service received notification that the 89,000-ton M/V Qingdao lost power around 8:30 p.m. while navigating the Kill Van Kull waterway, which runs between Staten Island and Bayonne, New Jersey.
An image shared by John Konrad, CEO of maritime news outlet gCaptain, depicts the 1,100-foot Qingdao floating uncomfortably near the bridge connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island.
To address the power loss, three tugboats were sent to assist in controlling the Qingdao.
Reports indicated that the vessel was positioned “just north” of the bridge.
“Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service New York received a report from the M/V APL Qingdao around 8:30pm, Friday, that the vessel had experienced a loss of propulsion in the Kill Van Kull waterway. The vessel regained propulsion and was assisted to safely anchor in Stapleton Anchorage, outside of the navigable channel just north of the Verrazano Bridge, by three towing vessels,” the Coast Guard said, New York Post reported.
“These towing vessels were escorting the vessel as a routine safety measure, which is a common practice for large vessels departing their berth.”
The Kill Van Kull waterway, a narrow tidal strait spanning 3 miles, separates Newark Bay, housing the Port Newark Container Terminal, from Upper New York Bay, serving as one of the busiest passages within the Port of New York and New Jersey.
The Coast Guard mandated certification of the vessel’s propulsion system, ensuring it was repaired and fully functional.
Furthermore, the crew had to furnish a comprehensive casualty report, detailing the factors contributing to the propulsion failure.
Once these conditions were met, the vessel was cleared to continue its journey to Charleston, South Carolina.
The Qingdao, flagged in Malta and owned by the French shipping and logistics firm CMA CGM, was en route to Norfolk, Virginia when it experienced the power outage.
