Flag-of-Convenience vessels are ships that have been registered in a nation other than the country where its owners reside. Motivating factors for such an arrangement include inexpensive taxes, cheap labor and low maintenance standards. The Motor Vessel (MV) Bright Field was one such freighter: it was operated by a Chinese crew and registered under the Liberian flag. On Dec. 14, 1996, the Bright Field departed the U.S. for Japan while carrying a cargo of American grain. Its voyage ended only hours after it began when an engine trip caused by low oil pressure left the crew powerless to navigate the massive freighter. Within minutes, the Bright Field veered toward the Mississippi riverbank and crashed into the New Orleans Riverwalk. Dozens of passengers on neighboring entertainment vessels and on the Riverwalk itself were injured in their attempts to escape, but remarkably, no one was killed. The impact destroyed many riverside facilities, and the incident points to incomplete risk management by riverfront stakeholders as well as by Bright Field operators. Comprehensive risk assessments are cornerstones to any mission, and this case emphasizes the importance of formulating plans to mitigate high-consequence scenarios.