11 Years Later: How the Baltimore Bridge Collapse Reignites Fears of a Near Disaster in Portsmouth, N.H.
- quincyhepburn
- Apr 2, 2024
- 2 min read
Earlier this week, a tragedy occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, when a 95,000-ton cargo ship lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This event has drawn significant attention to the security of bridges spanning shipping lanes across the country, including those over the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For some local residents, however, this tragedy evokes memories of a near-disastrous event that took place exactly 11 years ago today, April 2nd.
In that incident, a 455-foot cargo ship broke free of its moorings and collided with the aging Sarah Long Bridge. Although many anticipated widespread destruction, the ship lacked sufficient speed to cause catastrophic damage. Nonetheless, it rendered the bridge inoperable. Concerns, however, extended beyond the bridge itself. On the opposite side of the Sarah Long Bridge lies the much smaller Memorial Bridge, which serves as a last line of defense for the critically important Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The shipyard, one of seven key boatyards across the country, houses multiple nuclear-powered Los Angeles-class submarines—a potential extreme liability in the event of a nautical disaster.
As the Baltimore tragedy prompts reflections on the near-disaster from 11 years ago, attention in Portsmouth has turned to the operators of the Memorial Bridge and the evolution of safety procedures over time. Michael Musto, a former Merchant Marine with 33 years of experience, who has spent the last 5 years working for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation as a Bridge Tender II on the Memorial Bridge, provided insights.
Musto, drawing on his maritime expertise, analyzed the emergency procedures during the Baltimore Collapse, emphasizing that any controversy surrounding the accident should not necessarily be attributed to the abilities of the ship's pilot and crew. He noted that port-specific docking pilots and masters were present at the time of the collapse—a standard practice for most large ships crossing through the Memorial Bridge.
Navigating the Sarah Long or Memorial Bridge amid the Piscataqua River's raging current and tidal nature presents significant challenges, leaving little to no room for error. Musto explained that ships often adjust ballast tanks, throttle settings, or coordinate with tugboats to lower the tallest parts of the ship while passing under a bridge. With just 1-2 feet of clearance on either side and at the top, passing through the center span requires precision.
With 33 years in the Merchant Marines, Musto understands that everyone will face pressure at some point, experience bad days, and must be prepared to recover.
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