Jacksonville-based transport company Trailer Bridge has reported a robbery aboard one of its barges, the Brooklyn Bridge. On the evening of 13 November, a group of around 50 people boarded the grounded barge, located roughly three miles off the Bahamas, and began removing cargo from the vessel.
The company contacted the US Coast Guard, the US Navy and the Royal Bahamas Police Force to report the ongoing looting. Bahamian police deployed officers to the scene, but reportedly declined to board the vessel due to concerns over the potential for violence.
“This is a rapidly evolving incident and, as of our last update, our barge was actively being looted,” said Trailer Bridge CEO Mitch Luciano. “Our top priority is the safety of our people. We have notified local law enforcement in the Bahamas as well as the US Coast Guard and US Navy. The situation continues to change quickly, and our focus remains on the safety of our crew and our cargo. We will provide additional information once the barge is secure.”
How the barge ended up aground
The incident stems from a mechanical failure that occurred on 11 November, when the tug Southern Dawn encountered strong winds en route to Puerto Rico. The severe weather caused the towline to part, leaving the Brooklyn Bridge adrift. The barge subsequently grounded off the Bahamas while awaiting assistance to resume its voyage.
The looting began while the vessel was stranded and waiting for salvage support.
Grounding location and response from Bahamian authorities
According to the Port Department of the Bahamas’ Ministry of Energy and Transport, the barge ran aground on a reef off the island of Abaco. Officials said they are in direct contact with the vessel owner and confirmed that divers have already carried out an underwater assessment of the situation.
Refloating operations are currently underway to remove the barge from the reef. The Port Department stated that no immediate environmental impact is expected, but a full environmental assessment will be conducted once the vessel has been removed to address any potential concerns.
About Trailer Bridge
Trailer Bridge operates Jones Act barge services between the US mainland, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, and provides a range of third-party logistics services across North America. Its portfolio includes trucking, intermodal transport, freight forwarding and project cargo solutions.
The company’s fleet includes two roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels and two lift-on/lift-off (lo-lo) ships operating between Jacksonville and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
