When the pilot left the helm of a towboat unattended for 5 minutes, the consequences were costly, according to a just-releases National Transportation Safety Board report The incident involved the 138-foot long,
The City of Louisville aground. [Photo: U.S. Coast Guard]
When the pilot left the helm of a towboat unattended for 5 minutes, the consequences were costly, according to a just-releases National Transportation Safety Board report
The incident involved the 138-foot long, 1962-built towboat City of Louisville, owned by Ceres Tank Barge LLC and operated by Reliant Maritime Solutions LLC. While the towboat was upbound on the Mississippi River pushing 11 barges on July 29, 2023, it ran aground in a charted shallow and rocky area. The grounding caused fractures to the vessel’s bottom plating underneath the engine room, leading to water flooding into the engine room, machinery, and aft accommodation spaces. An estimated 30 gallons of gear oil were released into the river. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel was estimated at $2 million.
The pilot was alone on watch in the wheelhouse when the grounding occurred. The pilot told investigators that
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