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Technology

US bridges are at risk of catastrophic ship collisions every few years

After a container ship struck and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, researchers began calculating the risks of similar catastrophic incidents for other US bridges – and they’re surprisingly high

By Jeremy Hsu

31 March 2025

In March 2024, a cargo ship smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland

UPI / Alamy

One year after a container ship ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing the structure’s collapse, a study has identified other major US bridges that are surprisingly vulnerable to similar catastrophic ship strikes – and their collective risk is so high that such incidents may occur every few years.

Modern bridges can reduce the chances of ship collisions with measures like increasing the spacing between support piers and adding…

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