A major bridge has collapsed and and fell into the Patapsco River in the US city of Baltimore after it was hit by a Container ship ‘MV DALI’ on Tuesday morning, March 26, shortly before 1:30 am in the Morning.
According to Shipping giant Maersk, the Dali, which was in route from Baltimore to Colombo in Sri Lanka, was operated by Ship Management company Synergy Group and carried goods for Maersk customers.
What caused Container Ship ‘DALI’ to collide with Baltimore bridge
Officials reported that ship had “lost propulsion” as it was leaving the port. US intelligence report by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as saying: “The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and an collision with the bridge was possible. The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”
As we know the Container ship ‘Dali’ wasn’t piloting by its own crew (Pilots are required for ship arrivals to ports to ensure safe navigation in potentially challenging waters, such as narrow channels, congested harbors, or areas with strong currents or tides. Pilots provide local knowledge and expertise to help ships navigate safely to and from port facilities.)
The container ship Dali, which was involved into the incident, was being piloted by local pilots who are specially trained to avoid mishaps. Speaking at press conference, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said: “Pilots move ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore.”
In this video, A Baltimore bridge was seen partially crumbling after being struck by a container ship in a shocking video. The incident took place on Tuesday morning, March 26, shortly before 1:30 am.
CCTV and marine tracking data shows the container ship lost power for around 60 seconds about four minutes before it hit the bridge. It appeared to adjust its course and start smoking before impact.
The vessel’s individual incident response service has been mobilised, Synergy added. According to ship tracking website VesselFinder, Dali had been involved in a 2016 collision at the Port of Antwerp as it tried to leave the port.
It said the vessel had “substantial stern momentum” causing the collision with a stone wall of the quay. The berth where the ship had been docked was “seriously damaged and closed for cargo handling operations due to safety reasons”, the website said.
A maritime safety expert says the “most likely” cause of the crash was a failure in the ship’s machinery.
David McFarlane, director of Maritime Risk and Safety Consultants Ltd, told: “The first thing that springs to my mind is: was there a sudden fault with the ship’s engines or the steering gear? The other, of course, is: was there a navigational error?”
Mr McFarlane said a human error was less likely because of the number of people who would have been on duty.
He added: “There should be no room for one-person errors because one of the other people should jump in and say ‘hang on…’.
“The most likely cause of this is a failure in machinery or steering gear, but we just won’t know until the authorities have been on board. And even then, they’re unlikely to say what’s been going on for some considerable time.”
Lead up to incident seemed ‘unusual’
“It’s a frightful incident and shows how fragile maritime infrastructure is if you don’t get things right,” said Chris Parry, former Royal Navy rear admiral.
“It’s happening at night… so mercifully, there won’t be too many people on the bridge. It’s not commuter time.”
He said it appears from video footage that the ship was “off track” as it headed towards the bridge, adding: “Normally the air traffic control system would have warned him [the pilot] about that if he was on track for the bridge.
“Frankly it’s a routine operation,” he continued. “We’re going to have to wait for the inquiry to see what happened. But it’s unusual unless they’ve had a mechanical or electrical failure that that sort of thing should happen.”
What Really happened?
A large section of the 1.6 mile-long bridge fell into the water following the collision at around 1.30am local time (5.30am UK time). The city fire department’s communications chief Kevin Cartwright has called the incident a “developing mass casualty event”, adding it was too early to know how many people were affected.
What does the video show?
It shows the vessel approaching the bridge before the structure collapses into the water. Vehicles can be seen falling from the bridge.
Singapore Ship Managers confirm no crew injured in Baltimore tragedy
The managers of a Singapore-flagged ship that collided with a bridge in Baltimore announced Tuesday that none of its crew members were injured during the collision.
“All crew members, including the two pilots have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries,” Synergy Marine Group said in a statement on its website.
Maryland governor says initial probe points to accident
In his latest press conference in Baltimore, Maryland Governor Wes Moore said rescue teams are doing “everything in their power” to rescue the victims of the Key Bridge collapse.
Stating that the state is “in shock”, he said: “I recognise many of us are hurting right now, I recognise many of us are scared right now.”
He stated that the preliminary inquiry indicates the Key Bridge collapse was an accident, adding that there was no evidence to suggest the incident was terrorism-related.
Aftermath of mass casualty event of Key Bridge collapse
As the rescue operation continues, two persons have been rescued and one of them remains in a critical condition. Sonar spotted several vehicles in the sea, and the White House and other officials have ruled out any indication of intentional act.
Major Announcements to bridge collapse
The White House: “Our hearts go out to the families of those who remain missing as a result of this horrific incident. Senior White House officials are in touch with the Governor and Mayor to offer any federal assistance they need. There is no indication of any nefarious intent.”
Maersk shipping company: “We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed.”
Maryland Governor Wes Moore: “I have declared a State of Emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden administration.”
Baltimore police commissioner Richard Worley: “There is absolutely no indication that this is terrorism, that this was done on purpose.”
US Coast Guard: “An Urgent Marine Information Broadcast is issued regarding the incident and there has been a 2,000-yard [1,830-metre] safety zone issued for the surrounding waters. Mariners are urged to avoid the area.”
At least 40 ships scheduled for Baltimore
According to MarineTraffic, which tracks ships throughout the world, around 40 ships, including 34 cargo vessels, are now scheduled to visit Baltimore. Georgios Hatzimanolis, who monitors worldwide shipping for MarineTraffic, predicted some shipping delays. “We do expect there to be a ripple effect, but it’s a bit too early to say what the impact will be.”
About Baltimore port
Baltimore port is the deepest in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, the largest waterway in the United States. It features five public terminals and 12 private terminals.
It is the busiest US port for car shipping and the largest port by volume for processing agriculture and construction machinery.
It managed 265,000 containers in the last three months of 2023.
Last year, the port was ranked second in terms of coal export volumes. It also operates as a cruise terminal for Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival.
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