PHOTOS: MTA Bridges and Tunnels Conducts Operation Allowing Safe Passage of Tallest Ship to Ever Cross Under Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

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Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels today announced the successful passage of the Zhen Hua 25 into New York Harbor on Saturday, Oct. 19, as it carried four 227.4-foot-tall cranes under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The Zhen Hua 25 with this cargo is the tallest vessel to ever pass under the bridge, requiring weeks of complex planning operations with numerous partner agencies to ensure safe passage. The cranes, which were delivered to Port Liberty Bayonne Container Terminal, are the largest to arrive in the Port of New York and New Jersey and expand the Port's capacity to process containerized cargo from larger ships.

A suspension bridge, the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge structure regularly flexes due to changes in temperature, wind speed, and traffic load. The vessel passed under the highest, central point of the bridge under the control of tugboats at 4:05 a.m. during a lunar low tide, in calm weather conditions, with vehicular traffic briefly suspended to reduce weight on the bridge.

"While the passage under the bridge took just a few minutes, weeks of coordinated planning and analysis ensured the trip was successful, without incident," said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan. "Extensive behind the scenes efforts by multiple entities ensured safety for our customers, employees, maritime traffic, the vessel, its crew and cargo, the pilots, and the bridge itself."

MTA Bridges and Tunnels worked closely with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sector New York, which has responsibility for the safety of maritime traffic in New York Harbor. The USCG led a diverse team, each with unique and critical roles to ensure success. In addition to the USCG and MTA Bridges and Tunnels, partners included the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Port Liberty Bayonne Terminal, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Metro Pilots, Sandy Hook Pilots, MTA Construction & Development, MTA HQ Legal and Risk Management, New York City Police Department, and the NYC Office of Emergency Management.

"The safe transit of the ZHEN HUA 25 was the result of extensive planning and coordination between multiple entities, including the Coast Guard, to reduce risk and ensure a safe evolution, said Captain Jonathan Andrechik, Commander of Coast Guard Sector New York and Captain of the Port. "The safety of the public and the port is always paramount."

The exact timing of the passage and resulting closure of the bridge was determined based on numerous factors including weather conditions, tide predictions, water levels, and clear distance from underside of the bridge to water surface. This included closing the bridge to traffic. Prior to passage, the cranes on the vessel were lowered and ballast was added to the ship, allowing it to sit as low as possible in the water. This specific date was chosen due low wind speeds and a lunar full moon resulting in the lowest predicted tides for the next month, ensuring maximum clearance below the bridge.