Another massive cargo ship loses control while leaving an American harbor — this time halted before bridge

A massive container ship attempting to leave the waters around New York City Friday reportedly suffered a similar issue to that experienced by the vessel that tragically brought the historic Francis Scott Key Bridge crashing into Baltimore Harbor late last month.

Unlike the Singapore-flagged Dali, the propulsion problem suffered by the APL Qingdao did not ultimately prove to be calamitous.

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to the New York Post that the APL Qingdao, a 1,145-foot, 89,000-ton ship flying under the Malta flag, lost propulsion around 8:30 p.m. while sailing along the shipping lane between Staten Island and Bayonne, New Jersey.

According to John Konrad, a maritime journalist and the CEO of gCaptain, the three tugboats that had been escorting the ship down the 3-mile Kill Van Kull waterway were aided by another three in an effort to bring the ship under control.

The ship subsequently dropped anchor just north of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

"Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service New York received a report from the M/V APL Qingdao around 8:30pm, Friday, that the vessel had experienced a loss of propulsion in the Kill Van Kull waterway," the Coast Guard said in a statement obtained by the Post.

"The vessel regained propulsion and was assisted to safely anchor in Stapleton Anchorage, outside of the navigable channel just north of the Verrazano Bridge, by three towing vessels," continued the statement. "These towing vessels were escorting the vessel as a routine safety measure, which is a common practice for large vessels departing their berth."

Prior to leaving, the crew had to submit a casualty report accounting for what caused the loss of power. CBS News noted that repairs were also made to the ship's system following the incident.

At the time of publication, VesselFinder indicated that the ship had successfully made its way out of the New York harbor and was nearing its destination of Norfolk, Virginia.

Staten Island Assemblyman Charles Fall (D) told SILive.com, "While the swift response by tugboats to secure the vessel prevented immediate harm, this incident further highlights the urgent need for comprehensive safety reviews of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the Goethals Bridge, the Bayonne Bridge, and the Outerbridge Crossing."

"The recent disaster at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland is a harrowing reminder of what could happen if we fail to prioritize the integrity of our infrastructure," added Fall.

Two weeks after power outages and a propulsion problem allegedly sent the container ship Dali crashing into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, divers continue to search for bodies. At least six people are believed to be dead.

Officials announced Friday that they had recovered the body of a third victim, 38-year-old Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, reported the Independent.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicated that a new channel will be ready for use by month's end, enabling ships to enter and leave the second-busiest port in the mid-Atlantic.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) told CBS News' "Face the Nation" that maritime operations in the Port of Baltimore could be functional as early as May.

March was apparently a bad month for American bridges and boats.

A bridge over the Arkansas River south of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was also struck by a boat late last month. Despite a powerful thwacking sound, there was minimal damage and no casualties.

The Associated Press reported that a barge struck a pier holding Highway 59 over the river on March 30. After a brief road closure, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation indicated that the structure was subsequently deemed sound by engineers and safe to transit.

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