Wake Effects from Passing Ships Cause $2 Million Damage in New Orleans
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently disclosed that wake effects from passing ships were responsible for a barge strike at New Orleans’ Algiers Lock, resulting in $2 million in damages.
On July 4, 2023, the towing vessel Kitty encountered significant water surges while maneuvering two loaded tank barges into the lock chamber. Despite the incident causing one barge to strike a lock gate, fortunately, no injuries or pollution were reported.
Upon investigation, NTSB findings revealed that three loaded ships passing near the lock within a 10-minute timeframe created wake effects that had a substantial impact on water levels. The crew of the Kitty reported water level fluctuations ranging from 3 to 6 feet, with NTSB analysis confirming a minimum variation of 3.4 feet.
According to the NTSB report, “The effects of water displacement from a deep-draft vessel’s wake can intensify when that water pushes into and recedes from narrow and smaller water bodies, such as shallow areas and lock chambers.”
The incident occurred during a period of extremely low water conditions, with wake effects from deep-draft ships causing significant water movement in and out of the forebay and lock chamber.