On Monday afternoon, a strong wind storm hit Baltimore, Maryland, USA, causing a docked American cargo ship to break free from itsorings, prompting reports of a commercial tugboat and the Baltimore Fire Department responding to assist.

The emergency call came in around 3 p.m. local, when the 951-foot (290-meter) roll-on/roll-off cargo ship Cornelius H. Charlton (formerly USNSton) broke free from its moorings at the South Baltimore port and began to drift.

The National Weather Service had issued warnings of strong winds in the area with gusts reaching nearly 50 knots. The weather service had previously warned that this could cause damage.

The Baltimore City Fireboat Station fireboat and a tugboat from a tugboat company quickly responded and successfully took control of the runaway vessel. They secured the ship and remained on the scene to ensure it remained safe.

Built in 2000, the cargo ship has a deadweight tonnage of 36,639 tons and is classified as a type that transport Military Sealift Command equipment. In September of this year, the ship was transferred to the Maritime Administration and entered the reserve fleet. According to the Maritime Administration, the had been moored at a leased pier in Baltimore since late September. They reported that a small crew was on board at the time of the incident and all were safe.

According to The Baltimore Sun, local residents had been unhappy with the ship and had been calling for its removal. The newspaper reported that residents had complained about the noise andumes from the ship's diesel generators, saying it was not an appropriate place to berth vessels.