$2 Million Lock Damage: Mississippi River Wake Effects Cause Barge Strike at Algiers Lock

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that wake effects from passing ships led to a barge strike at New Orleans’ Algiers Lock, resulting in $2 million in damage.

On July 4, 2023, the towing vessel Kitty experienced significant water surges while pushing two loaded tank barges into the lock chamber. The incident resulted in one barge striking a lock gate, though no injuries or pollution were reported.

NTSB investigators determined that three loaded ships passing near the lock within a 10-minute window created wake effects that significantly impacted water levels. The Kitty’s crew reported water level fluctuations of 3-6 feet, with NTSB analysis confirming a minimum variation of 3.4 feet.

“The effects of water displacement from a deep draft vessel’s wake can increase when that water pushes into and recedes from narrow and/or smaller water bodies, such as shallow areas and lock chambers,” according to the NTSB report.

The incident occurred during extremely low water conditions, with wake effects from deep-draft ships causing water movement in and out of the forebay and lock chamber.

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