Nearly two months after a massive cargo ship, the Dali, collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six construction workers, the ship was hauled away and back to the dock.
After weeks of trying to free the Dali from the bridge wreckage, the move opened the primary channel into and out of the Port of Baltimore.
The ship’s problems remain a mystery.
However, federal investigators provided new information this month. According to a preliminary investigation, the ship suffered two power failures before leaving the harbour on March 26.
The USCG chief told a congressional committee that bridges nationwide needed to be evaluated because larger ships passing through U.S. ports had increased the risk of fatal accidents.
We know the following about the disaster, which will be the worst US bridge fall in over a decade.
How did the ship come to rest on the bridge?
On May 14, the National Transportation Safety Board reported that the 947-foot cargo ship Dali suffered power difficulties before leaving the Port of Baltimore. The ship suffered two electrical failures the day before the disaster, according to the inquiry. These problems prompted the team to redesign the electrical system 10 hours before departure.
The Dali encountered a “complete blackout” while leaving the harbour early on March 26, cutting power to the engine and navigation systems. The ship signalled a mayday soon before reaching bridge support.
Due to the call, officials could block bridge traffic for a few minutes. Authorities believe that when the bridge fell, it prevented more cars from crossing, sparing lives.
The National Transportation Safety Board reported the crew’s desperate efforts to restore power and stop the ship from drifting toward the bridge. It also described how one of the eight bridge maintenance workers that night escaped to safety before the Bridge Collapsed.
Baltimore Port pilots steered the ship throughout the incident. Two tugboats helped the ship navigate out of the terminal but then returned to the port to prepare for their next ship assignment, port officials said.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore stated that the bridge was in conformity with all rules and that the collapse was not structural.
According to a source, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the event criminally. An anonymous source stated that FBI agents have been interviewing and checking electronic devices for criminal activity. Since the investigative details are unknown, this was supplied.
What do we know about the people that were killed?
On March 27, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, from Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, from Dundalk, Maryland, were the first victims found. Both were discovered in Baltimore. Mr. Fuentes and Mr. Cabrera were Guatemalan and Mexican. On April 5, police announced that divers had recovered the remains of 38-year-old Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval from Honduras.
A fourth body was found in a construction vehicle by underwater rescue personnel on April 14. The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs named the victim as 24-year-old Carlos Daniel Hernández. Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was discovered dead by state officials on May 1. After six weeks, José Mynor López, 37, from Baltimore, was found as the sixth casualty.
Mr. Suazo left Honduras at age 20 to find better economic opportunities in the US. Baltimore is where he met his wife and had both their children. His brother MartÃn Suazo said that he realized the American dream five years ago by starting his firm and operating a small fleet of delivery vehicles. However, the global coronavirus epidemic caused his company to close, and he now fixes roads and bridges.
Over 19 years in Maryland, Mr. Luna owned three children, got married, and had three children.
Mr. Lopez was one of the first in his family to go to the US from Guatemala. He and his wife moved to Baltimore in the early 21st century and lived in a porch-equipped house, according to his brother, Jovani López. Their two children were born. A contractor hired him two years ago to repair roads and bridges.
Divers had to navigate the bridge wreckage with little visibility. The water was dark and the currents strong, so they had to navigate between twisted steel and crumbled concrete.
What about the crew of the ship and the ship itself?
The Singapore-registered Dali was headed to Colombo, Sri Lanka. The event included 4,700 containers and 1.5 million gallons of fuel and lubricating oil.
An inspection of the ship at a Chilean port last year revealed a gauge issue. An official said they were changed before the ship left.
Twenty-one ship crewmen, mostly Indians and two pilots, were located and accounted for. The ship passengers were unharmed.
The crew remains on board and works. Since they must ensure that wrecked spacecraft pose no more threats, crew members must stay on board.
The Dali crew is likely working hard to keep the ship running, just as they would at sea. They are also answering questions from catastrophe investigators and making sure the ship works properly.
Chris James, a consultant with Synergy Marine, claimed the crew had enough food, water, and gasoline to run the generators. Mr James says the authorities may change the crew after the investigations.
Procedure of cleaning and restoring the bridge
Bridge rubble floats in the water. After weeks of rubbish removal, the Dali was gently hauled back into the harbour early Monday morning. Although 4,700 containers will be detached from the ship, the crew is expected to remain on board.
The collapse stopped shipping operations for a week, preventing roughly a dozen ships from leaving the 8,000-person port. A week after the collapse, two temporary channels were cleaned and opened. One channel was 11 feet deep, and the other 14 feet. This allowed small barges and other vessels to access and depart the port. Authorities promise to reopen the port by month’s end.
The Army Corps of Engineers will pay for channel cleaning, and Vice President Joe Biden’s administration will give $60 million from emergency federal transportation money for bridge rebuilding.
The bridge was completed in March 1977 after starting construction in 1972. The 1.6-mile bridge spanned the Patapsco River, but the whole crossing, including its approaches, was 11 miles long. About 35 million cars are moved annually.
State officials predict the bridge rehabilitation will take four years and cost $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion.
Everything left on the bridge must be checked for structural integrity. After that, Maryland’s transportation officials will have to determine whether to build a larger roadway that can accommodate more automobiles and whether to raise the bridge over the water to allow larger ships to pass beneath it.
What will be the impact of the bridge’s collapse?
Given its position, the Key Bridge is likely to cause significant disruptions to the flow of traffic on the roads for a considerable amount of time, maybe even years. Additionally, the port of Baltimore will see a significant disruption in its shipping business.
The four-lane bridge was known as the “Baltimore Beltway” and was a component of Interstate 695, which is the outer ring road that surrounds Baltimore City. It was responsible for transporting around 11.5 million cars annually.
Even though it will still be feasible to cross Baltimore Harbor via a tunnel closer to the city, the local authorities have issued a “major traffic alert” in anticipation of substantial traffic disruptions after the event.
In particular, the collapse of the bridge will be a significant challenge for motor vehicles that transport hazardous goods. These vehicles were allowed to traverse the bridge, but they were not permitted to use the alternate tunnel route instead.
Shipping, on the other hand, has been made more difficult as a result of the occurrence.
On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg refused to specify a date for the shutdown of the port, but he did say that there would be a “major and protracted impact to supply chains.”
According to Lars Jansen, an expert in container transportation, the event that had taken place was a “major disaster” that would “create significant problems on the East Coast of the United States for individuals who import and export goods.”
The fact that “multiple merchant vessels are now trapped in the port of Baltimore” is in addition to the fact that about 21,000 units of cargo are required to pass via other ports in the vicinity. There are various bulk carriers to choose from, but none of them are container ships.
According to estimates, around 800,000 cars travelled through the port in 2023, resulting in the transportation of a record 1.3 million tons of goods that were imported.
On the other hand, Mr. Jansen asserts that the event will not have a substantial influence on a worldwide scale, even though there will be some delays and additional expenditures.
Six workers died, and others narrowly escaped.
Authorities said the 213-million-pound spaceship lost power to its engines and electrical systems before hitting the bridge. The vessel’s lights flickered, and black smoke rose, perhaps from an emergency generator sparking after a blackout. The video was captured minutes before the accident.
Six bridge pothole-fixing construction workers died in the disaster. The fatalities were El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras immigrants supporting their families. They worked.
The National Transportation Safety Board examination found that a ship crew member and a bridge road maintenance inspector suffered near-misses.
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The crew member was on the bow during the incident. In the investigation, “(He) told investigators that, as he was releasing the brake on the port anchor, he had to escape from the falling bridge before he was able to reapply the brake.” Investigators received this information from him.
The inspector on the bridge was walking over the span when the ship hit. The paper states, “He ran north and made it to the nearest surviving span before the rest of the Bridge Collapse.”
The Bridge Collapse badly destroyed infrastructure. The Bridge collapsed, blocking the port, a major sugar and vehicle shipping route. Maryland Governor Wes Moore called the Key Bridge critical for 30,000 travellers daily.
Officials have pledged to repair the bridge, but the cost remains uncertain. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the bridge alone may be worth over $1.2 billion.
Vice President Joe Biden has said he would help rebuild the bridge as rapidly as feasible and that the federal government will pay.
FAQs For Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
Tragically, six men lost their lives on 26 March when a container ship collided with the bridge, causing it to collapse. They were all employed as construction workers repairing potholes in the structure.
After the bridge fell in the early hours of Tuesday morning, two individuals were saved, including a third Mexican citizen subsequently named Julio Cervantes.
Early on March 26, the freighter Dali lost power and slammed into a crucial support column of the Francis Scott Key bridge, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six roadwork crew members.
Near the major shipping route, the depth is generally from about 40 to 50 feet (12 to 15 meters); however, in some spots, dredging operations to suit big boats may cause greater depths.
Regular Inspections and Maintenance
Technological Monitoring
Upgrading Infrastructure
Traffic Management
Emergency Preparedness
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Research and Development
They want it done by 2028. President Joe Biden has promised to repair the bridge at full federal expense, but officials stressed that Congress must approve the funds.
The Francis Scott Key bridge Collapsed when the Dali cargo ship hit it. Ships may now pass near the fallen Baltimore Bridge as part of an “enormous” rehabilitation endeavour.
Businesses are scrambling to avert economic damage after a cargo ship struck a key Baltimore bridge, causing diverted cargo and supply chain problems.
Official Announcements
Media Coverage
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Community Outreach
Hotlines and Help Desks
Website Updates
Collaboration with Organizations
The most costly maritime insurance claim in recent history might come from the Francis Scott Key bridge collapsing after a collision with the container ship Dali, maybe surpassing $1 billion.
Calista Embry is a finance journalist who graduated from Johns Hopkins University. She has a passion for writing and researching the impact of finance on social life.