"The new bridge is protected by 36 dolphins: four large dolphins protecting the two main pylons supporting the cable-stayed main span plus 32 smaller dolphins protecting bridge piers for 1⁄4 mi (1⁄2 km) to either side of the main span"
Dolphins seem to be just pilings tied together.. how could those withstand the impact of a loaded container ship?
For something a bit more sturdy, look at the main pylons of the Jacques Cartier bridge in Montreal [1] - these are meant to withstand annual ice rush, hundreds of tons of ice floe moving with the current of the river.
Interestingly, while the Saint Lawrence is a very active shipping channel, most shipping near the city moves through the seaway canal [2], which has solid earthen berms reinforced with concrete wherever it crosses a bridge span [3], [4] making it next to impossible for this type of accident to occur.
If memory serves right, the seaway was built to avoid the strong currents and wild rapids of the river; there are a set of locks [5] upriver, and the engineering around bridge crossings [6] seems consistent as you trace its path
"The new bridge is protected by 36 dolphins: four large dolphins protecting the two main pylons supporting the cable-stayed main span plus 32 smaller dolphins protecting bridge piers for 1⁄4 mi (1⁄2 km) to either side of the main span"