Barge hits St. Johns River jetty, grounds after being towed away

摘要

A barge carrying coal ash hit a jetty marking the entrance to the St. Johns River east of Jacksonville, Fla., with the breached vessel ultimately grounding more than a mile south on the Atlantic shoreline after being towed away. The tugboat Margery had the 418-foot Bridgeport under tow when the barge hit a submerged section of the south jetty at about 1440 on March 22. The impact damaged the barge's port side but did not cause any pollution. "They were shortening the towline and apparently got out of shape with the heavy weather and seas and the barge struck the south jetty," said Andrew Legge, compliance manager for Dann Ocean Towing, which operates the 4,500-hp Margery.