Laid-up Military Ship Broke Free During Gale in Baltimore

Around 3:00 p.m. on December 29, commercial tugs and Baltimore City Fire Department units responded after the 951-foot RoRo cargo ship Cornelius H. Charlton (ex. USNS Charlton) ripped free of its moorings in South Baltimore harbor and began drifting during high winds. The National Weather Service had warned of gale-force gusts approaching 50 knots as a cold front moved across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

Photographs taken at the scene showed the vessel’s port-side ramp had been torn loose and was hanging in the water. Fire Boat 1 from the city’s fireboat station and a McAllister Towing tug took control of the ship, worked to stabilize it and remained on scene to ensure it stayed secure. Authorities reported a small crew was aboard at the time and that all personnel were safe.

The Cornelius H. Charlton, completed in 2000 and rated at about 36,639 deadweight tons, is one of a class of roll-on/roll-off ships used to transport heavy equipment for the Military Sealift Command. In September the vessel was transferred to the Maritime Administration for entry into the Ready Reserve Fleet and was placed at a rented pier in Baltimore as of late September.

Local residents have long voiced complaints about the vessel’s presence at the pier, citing persistent noise and diesel fumes from generators and questioning whether the waterfront location is suitable for long-term lay-up of large government-owned ships. The incident renewed those concerns and raised immediate questions about harbor safety, pier infrastructure and the oversight of berthing arrangements for reserve vessels within an urban waterfront.

Beyond the neighborhood disruption, the episode underscores the operational challenges of keeping reserve ships ready while berthed in commercial or municipal ports vulnerable to severe weather. A drifting 951-foot vessel with damaged ramp presents navigational and environmental risks until secured, requiring coordination among tugs, fire crews and federal maritime authorities to prevent collisions, pollution or damage to waterfront property.

Fireboat crews and tugs maintained a presence to monitor security and safety after the ship was held in place. As federal agencies assess damage and the suitability of the pier for continued lay-up, residents and local officials will be watching for decisions about repairs, removal and future placement of Ready Reserve vessels that balance national logistical needs with neighborhood health and safety.