Nyk-Clara Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

A freighter named NYK Clara encountered a minor incident Friday night, around 7:45 p.m., when its metal mast made contact with the underside of the Bayonne Bridge. Fortunately, authorities from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed that engineers inspected both the deck and the underside of the bridge and found no damage. Despite the incident, the bridge remained open to traffic. According to Port Authority spokesperson Al Della Fave, the contact was deemed very minor. After the incident, the freighter anchored beyond the bridge while the crew reported a sound emanating from the vessel, and they awaited the U.S. Coast Guard's assessment. An hour later, the ship was still stationed there. In anticipation of larger vessels arriving at New York-area ports following the expansion of the Panama Canal, the Port Authority has plans to raise the bridge's clearance by 60 feet, ultimately reaching a height of 215 feet by 2016. The Bayonne Bridge is recognized as one of the largest steel-arch bridges globally, stretching across the Kill Van Kull, connecting Bayonne and Staten Island.