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NTSB released report into breakaway of tank barge
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released the report on its investigation into the breakaway of the tank barge ' MPC 1056', loaded with ethanol, on the Ohio River near Evansville, Indiana, on March 19, 2025, The barge, which had been moored at an Evansville Marine Service fleet at Ohio River Mile 795.5, broke free around 7 p.m. and drifted downriver, allidind with docks at a pair of marinas near Mile 797. The total damage to the docks was estimated at $900,000. No damage was reported to the barge. The tug 'Nashville' had delivered the 'MPC 1056' and another tank barge, the 'MPC 637', to the fleeting area around 2:15 p.m. The 'Brantley B' was assigned tasked with securing the two barges in the fleet. Crew members secured the 'MPC 637' with wires to the shore, and they moored the 'MPC 1056' to the 'MPC 637' with two winch wires. The headline was a five-part breast wire, while the sternline was a four-part breast wire, a one-inch Gorilla Super strand with a normal (tested) breaking strength of 93,651 pounds. The wires were run from winches forward and aft on the 'MPC 1056' and secured to bitts on the 'MPC 637' and cleats on the 'MPC 1056'. According to the NTSB, that mooring arrangement complied with Evansville Marine Service’s normal and high-water conditions. By 3:25 p.m. on March 19, the National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for parts of western Kentucky and southwest Indiana, including Evansville. The forecast included damaging winds, a tornado watch, and a wind advisory. Between 3:20 p.m. and 4:40 p.m., the crew aboard the 'Brantley B' responded to another barge in the fleet which had its starboard face wire break due to wind and waves. A weather station at the Evansville Regional Airport, about ten miles northeast of the fleeting area, measured winds in the 18-25 mph range, with gusts above 38 mph, at 4 p.m. Around 6 p.m., winds shifted to the southwest and were accompanied by heavy precipitation. The 'MPC 1056' and 'MPC 637' remained moored at the fleeting area at the end of the watch of the 'Brantley B' captain at 6 p.m., when he turned over with the next crew, a captain and deckhand. About an hour later, though, the owner of Nu Plaza Yacht Club, located at Ohio River Mile 797.3, saw the barge contact the docks at his marina. Around 7:30 p.m., a private citizen radioed the 'Brantley B' to report the breakaway barge near the yacht club. Once on scene, the crew of the 'Brantley B' identified the barge as the 'MPC 1056' and found that the headline had parted, and the sternline was hanging over the side of the barge. Within about 40 minutes, the crew again secured the 'MPC 1056' to the 'MPC 637'. At about 9:30 p.m., officials from Evansville Marine Service reported the incident to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley. While surveying the damage at the Nu Plaza Yacht Club, the Coast Guard also identified damage to the gangway dock of the Evansville Boat and Ski Club. According to the NTSB, the probable cause for the breakaway and subsequent damage at the two marinas were the severe weather and strong currents acting on the moored barge, which exceeded the holding capacity of its mooring arrangement. The NTSB advised barge fleet operators to identify failure modes of mooring arrangements and implement controls, such as more frequent inspections and additional lines. Report with photo: https://www.workboat.com/ntsb-releases-report-on-2025-ohio-river-barge-breakaway
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