SS Marine Floridian SS " Marine Floridian " was a 5 , 700 ton , ocean - going tanker ship . Early career . The ship was built as the Type T2 tanker SS " Paoli " at Sun Shipbuilding in Chester , Pennsylvania , in 1944 . After service for the War Shipping Administration during World War II , she was acquired by the United States Navy as in 1956 and remained in naval service until she was sold in 1966 . Collision with bridge . On 24 February 1977 , in early daylight hours , the ship allided with a drawbridge in Virginia in a spectacular and costly accident . " Marine Floridian " was eastbound , heading downriver from Richmond , under the direction of a James River pilot . As the ship rounded a bend in the channel of the James River at the confluence of the Appomattox River near City Point and began the approach to the Benjamin Harrison Bridge , the steering gear malfunctioned , and with the rudder locked in a turn , the pilot lost control of the ship . The bridge tender had placed the lift span in the " raised " position in anticipation of the ship ' s passage , and motorists were sitting in their vehicles behind the warning gates waiting . As the large ship veered off course to the north , the occupants of southbound vehicles waiting on the bridge saw the ship coming directly toward them , and managed to get out of their cars and run to safety before the ship rammed the bridge . The ship missed the open portion and struck part of the fixed span . Four unoccupied vehicles tumbled into the river , and part of the bridge structure collapsed onto the deck of ship , which was wedged under the wreckage of the bridge . The bridge tender , a state employee , was trapped in the control booth located on the raised lift span near the south end . Despite the massive damage , there were no serious injuries . Post - collision actions . Representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) , the United States Coast Guard , and Virginia Governor ' s Office of Emergency Services responded to the scene . Engineering and bus transportation contractor s were summonsed to assist with repairs to the bridge and to provide alternate transportation for displaced motorists . According to official state records , the damage to the bridge entailed the " destruction of two spans north of the lift span , the north tower , the lift span , and serious damage to the south tower . " and " elimination of both highway and river traffic with immediate serious effect upon highway users and industries relying upon supplies by water " Special arrangements to offset loss of vehicular passage . While river traffic was restored in relatively short order , the loss of the bridge as a highway artery caused substantial hardship to commuters and the communities on both sides of the river beginning immediately after the collision . Prior to completion of the bridge in 1966 , an automobile - carrying passenger ferry service had operated , but the docks had rotted and silt had filled in the areas where the large ferries , if restored , would need to dock . Due to a dredging restriction in place because of Kepone contamination , it was not feasible to restore the automobile - carrying ferry service which the bridge had replaced in 1966 . Alternative driving routes were unacceptably lengthy . The only fixed crossing downstream was the James River Bridge , which would require an additional 130 mile drive . The nearest highway bridge upstream was located on Interstate 95 at Richmond , necessitating an additional driving distance of over 50 miles . The existing Jamestown Ferry service about 35 miles downstream between Scotland in Surry County and Glass House Point was already operating at capacity , with delays during peak commuting hours . State officials called upon local bus and taxi providers for potential solutions . Officials of the Governors Office of Emergency Services selected services of Virginia Overland Transportation ( VOTC ) of Richmond , one of the state ' s older urban - suburban bus line s , to implement within 3 business days a shuttle bus and van system to coordinate schedules with a passenger ferry system contracted by VDOT from another company that could utilize the old ferry landings without dredging operations . Service essentially operated from dawn to dusk , with schedules adjusted to suit commuters as much as possible . Radio - equipped vans and school buses based on each side of the river were coordinated with the passenger ferries . Expanded parking was provided by VDOT at both docks . During this operation , commuters would drive to the ferry dock area on the side of their residence and literally " Park , Ride , and Ride . " The van and bus service on the south shore ran between the docks and various schools and places of employment , including many businesses in Hopewell and notably Fort Lee . In the opposite situation , some workers who lived on the south side parked and rode the ferry , and vans transported them to employment , mostly at Charles City County agencies . A light - duty car - float was later introduced and operated during favorable weather conditions to supplement the passenger ferry and shuttle van arrangements . However , this affair was considered somewhat unstable by some commuters , and the Park , Ride , and Ride operation continued for 20 months until the bridge was reopened . Bridge repairs . The reconstruction of the damaged bridge was to cost millions of dollars and take 20 months to complete . One design change incorporated was relocation of the bridge tender ' s station to a fixed portion of the structure which did not go up and down with the lift span . NTSB Report . The NTSB issued a report , MAR - 78 - 01 , that was adopted on 1 January 1978 . The investigation made recommendations for future prevention . The State of Virginia filed suit in US District Court against the shipping company operating " Marine Floridian " , which was found to be liable for the damages , a decision affirmed by the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals . The rebuilt Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge was reopened to traffic in the fall of 1978 . The total cost of damages from the accident was $ 9 . 7 million .