JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is assuring residents that safeguards are in place protecting infrastructure in Duval County after a container ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing a massive collapse early Tuesday morning.
The bridge's collapse plunged vehicles and construction crews into dangerously cold water. Rescuers pulled two people from the water, but six are still missing.
Undoubtedly, the River City has several bridges and some residents may be concerned about something like this happening in Jacksonville. Deegan says the only major bridge that cargo ships sail under in Jacksonville has structures to defend against possible impact.
"The Dames Point Bridge, the only bridge that cargo ships calling JAXPORT sail under, has hard infrastructure in place to protect the base of the bridge piers from any vessel impacts," Deegan said in a statement sent to First Coast News.
The bridge is equipped with large concrete structures called "dolphins" protecting the base, along with specialty Air Gap sensors that track the vertical distance between the bottom of the bridge and the water's surface.
The sensors collect data from surrounding tides, currents and meteorological conditions to help cargo operations safely navigate under a bridge, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The city released renderings of the Dames Point, showing where the safeguards are in place to protect the bridge's base and the dolphins are also visible from under the bridge at El Faro Memorial Park.
"The City of Jacksonville and our partner agencies always stand ready to help our sister communities during their time of need. Our City and port community stands with the people of Baltimore," the city said in a release.
Deegan added she's been in contact with JAXPORT CEO Eric Green regarding maritime impacts on the port following the collapse. Video from Baltimore shows several cargo vessels unable to pass the bridge disaster. Both JAXPORT and Georgia Port Authority officials say they are working with their cargo customers on possible diversions.
Georgia Port Authority says the Sidney Lanier Bridge’s piers are surrounded by rock areas for protection.
Jacksonville Structural Engineer Ron Woods says the Dames Point Bridge is a suspension bridge, unlike the bridge in Baltimore.
“The center suspension like on the Dames Point is a much beefier construction," he said. "It’s a very substantial, robust construction. So it could withstand an impact probably better than what was happening in Baltimore. Doesn’t mean it can’t get damaged, but it’s less likely to be as damaged.”
First Coast News looked at the Florida Department of Transportation’s data on the Dames Point Bridge, which says its health index is above 98.
First Coast News asked JAXPORT if the Baltimore bridge collapse could have impacts on it Tuesday:
"Today, JAXPORT has received calls from ocean carriers and cargo customers regarding possible cargo diversions and our team is working with tenants and service providers to determine how we can accommodate them."
First Coast News received the following statement from the Georgia Ports Authority regarding the Baltimore bridge collapse:
"The Georgia Ports Authority offers our thoughts, prayers and support to our Port of Baltimore colleagues and everyone involved in this tragic accident. Here in Savannah, the Talmadge Bridge spans the Savannah River and there are no bridge support columns within the Federal Channel. Savannah Port Pilots have an excellent safety record handling 45 ships a week and 2,000 ships in fiscal year 2023. Because this is a river port, Savannah Port Pilots take special precautions bringing ships in and out of the port, including the use of 2-3 tugs. Equally important, whenever there is a first call for a new vessel into the port – the Pilots observe a “daylight only” transit for safety. In the Port of Brunswick, Brunswick Port Pilots safely navigated over 600 vessels in fiscal year 2023 and use tugs for assistance when needed. The Sidney Lanier Bridge in Brunswick has stanchions in the water which have a two-acre rock area around them to protect them. In between the stanchions, is a 1,000 foot long roadway span that is above the shipping channel. This shipping channel is 400’ wide for vessel transit."