A deteriorated dock at the Chalmette Refinery in Louisiana collapsed into the water after a barge contact in April 2023, according to a new report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The collapse demonstrates the importance of maintaining waterfront infrastructure to ensure safe operations.
The towing vessel Ovide J was maneuvering two loaded crude oil barges to the refinery’s crude oil dock on April 25, 2023, when the starboard barge made contact with the transfer platform on one of the dock’s dolphins. Approximately 150’ of dock structure gave way, falling into the water.
A 2017 inspection had previously identified major deterioration on the dolphin, with a 2021 follow-up report confirming significant damage and structural issues. Despite these warnings, no repairs had been made in the year and five months leading up to the collapse.
NTSB investigators concluded that the transfer platform had likely been compromised to the point where it could not sustain the forces of a routine docking. The Ovide J's tow did not break up, and onboard recordings showed no jolting movement, suggesting the impact was not forceful.
“It is important for dock owners to inspect, evaluate, maintain, and rehabilitate facilities, piers, docks, and other infrastructure to minimize the risk to the environment and the vessels that traverse the waterways,” the NTSB stated in its report. “Scheduling inspections, as well as maintaining and replacing waterfront infrastructure and components, is critical to continued safe operations.”
Following the incident, NTSB noted the dock owner had implemented measures to improve monitoring of structural integrity.
The full NTSB Marine Investigation Report 25-08 is available online.
