FAA Ground Stop Delays Investigators Probing Chinese-Owned Tanker's Collision With New Orleans Cruise Ship

The American Heritage overturned in the Mississippi River after being struck while docked, injuring 32 people and prompting a major rescue operation

Tanker Collision Delays New Orleans Investigation — A cargo ship at sea. Investigators face delays reaching New Orleans following a tanker collision that capsized a river cruise boat on the Mississippi River Leandro Bezerra/Pexels

A nationwide FAA ground stop has delayed investigators travelling to New Orleans to probe a collision between a Chinese-owned tanker and a river cruise boat that left the passenger vessel capsized in the Mississippi River.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was initially unable to send investigators to the scene after communications problems at regional air traffic control centres grounded flights nationwide on Friday, 13 November, according to the Associated Press.

The collision involved the tanker Atlantic Asphalt and the American Heritage, a river cruise boat carrying 180 passengers and crew members in total. All aboard survived the incident, although 32 people were taken to hospital with non-critical injuries, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno confirmed.

Tanker Collision Leaves New Orleans Cruise Ship Capsized

The Atlantic Asphalt struck the American Heritage while the cruise boat was docked in New Orleans, prompting a major rescue operation.

Footage from the scene showed the much larger tanker hitting the passenger vessel, with the impact causing significant damage. The American Heritage began listing within minutes before eventually overturning as emergency crews worked to evacuate those aboard.

Tugboat operators, port workers, police officers and other nearby rescuers rushed to help passengers and crew members who had fallen into the Mississippi River.

Moreno confirmed that nobody was unaccounted for following the incident, describing the outcome as 'a miracle on the Mississippi.'

Those who were not injured were taken to a nearby auditorium, where American Cruise Lines officials conducted a roll call to ensure everyone had been accounted for.

Many people reportedly lost personal belongings, including identification documents and car keys. City officials also arranged assistance with accommodation, food and transportation for those affected.

Coast Guard Says Tanker May Have Lost Steering

The cause of the collision remains under investigation, although initial observations suggest the tanker may have experienced a steering problem.

Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham said the vessel appeared to have suffered 'some type of loss of steering,' but stressed that the exact circumstances surrounding the crash were not yet known.

Maritime law expert Martin Davies of Tulane University said footage from the incident suggested a potentially catastrophic failure of the tanker's systems, although he cautioned that it was too early to determine the cause of the collision, according to AP.

Davies said the tanker was travelling upriver against the current at a relatively slow speed. He also noted that it had already navigated the difficult Algiers Point turn before striking the cruise boat.

The expert described the collision as particularly unfortunate, given that the American Heritage was docked and passengers were in the process of disembarking.

Chinese State-Owned Shipbuilding Company Linked to Tanker

The Atlantic Asphalt is owned by Nave Shipping SA, a company registered in Monrovia, Liberia, according to vessel records published by the US Coast Guard.

Reports citing MarineTraffic vessel data say that Nave Shipping SA is a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), a major Chinese state-owned conglomerate involved in commercial and military shipbuilding.

According to an analysis by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), CSSC accounted for nearly a quarter of the global commercial shipbuilding market in 2022.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has also identified CSSC as the world's largest military shipbuilder.

No official statement from CSSC had been announced as of Friday afternoon.

The Atlantic Asphalt is an asphalt and bitumen tanker. Bitumen is a semi-solid material commonly used in road construction and roofing.

NTSB Investigation Delayed by Nationwide Flight Ground Stop

The NTSB plans to investigate the collision to establish what caused the tanker to strike the American Heritage.

However, the nationwide flight disruption initially prevented investigators from travelling to New Orleans, delaying the agency's response to the incident.

The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the apparent steering problem and the events leading up to the collision.

While the Coast Guard's preliminary observations have raised questions about a possible mechanical or systems failure, investigators have yet to establish the cause of the crash.