[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Not so sure. Some think tugs could have averted this disaster. Some ships are much bigger, but I don't know if they go to Baltimore or not. Maybe we're 'gonna need a bigger tug.' If you're referring to stopping the Dali's forward momentum, I would agree that a huge job. But what about pushing it perpendicularly in a different direction?

I think it's time for some change.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2024/03/27/tugboats-baltimore-key-bridge-disaster/73123627007/

I think a good size tug on either side of the bow could certainly steer a vessel this size much like bow thrusters. Ultimately, this is how they dock them when currents and the wind aren’t cooperating.

Going slow, they have very limited steering.

I had more than one log ship get all bent out of shape in the shipping lane in Trevor Channel on the west coast of Vancouver Island back in the day when I was dragging for shrimp there… they wouldn’t charge course until I called Tofino Traffic on channel 73… Tofino Traffic quickly reminded them that the active commercial fishing vessels in the area had the right of way. They had limited steering, I had none with a shrimp net 1200’ behind me in ~100 fathoms of water.