Bridge Closes in Charleston, SC Due to Container Ship Malfunction

In a press release on Wednesday, June 5th, the United States Coast Guard announced that vehicle traffic on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was halted due to a control system malfunction on the containership MSC Michigan VII. 

At approximately 12:17 local time, a Charleston Harbor Pilot informed the Coast Guard Sector Charleston Command Center that the Michigan VII was experiencing issues with its propulsion control system while navigating the Cooper River in Charleston.

The Coast Guard, along with various state and local agencies, quickly responded to the incident, evacuating vehicle traffic from both the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and the Fort Moultrie Breach.

Several rescue units were deployed on the water and along the shore to assist the public and manage water traffic in the shipping channel.

The bridge was reopened to traffic once the vessel had safely passed underneath.

The vessel anchored 8.5 miles offshore from Charleston Harbor. The port captain instructed the ship to remain anchored pending further updates, and the incident is currently under investigation.

The MSC Michigan VII is a 91,388 dwt container ship flying the Liberian flag. It was carrying cargo and scheduled to arrive at Savannah Port in the U.S. on June 5th.