• The city of Baltimore is reeling in the wake of a devastating baltimore bridge collapse on Tuesday, March 26th, 2024.
• A cargo ship named Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a vital transportation artery, causing partial collapse.
• The ship departed from Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal at approximately 00:24 local time on Tuesday, bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• According to MarineTraffic data, the ship initially maintained a straight southeast route along the Patapsco River.
• However, at around 01:25, it suddenly diverted from its course and began to slow down.
• Subsequently, all exterior lights on the ship went out, and smoke started emanating from the ship’s funnel.
• Shortly afterward, it collided with the bridge.
• Early Tuesday at 1:27 am (ET), the Dali container ship crashed into a concrete column supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor.
• The vessel, measuring 985 feet (300 meters) long, collided with a support of the 1.6-mile (2.6-kilometer) bridge.
• Causing a section of the span to break and plunge into the water within seconds.
• Unfortunately, six construction workers who were repairing potholes on the bridge are presumed to have lost their lives.
• Rescuers saved two workers, recovered two bodies the next day, and are still searching for four individuals presumed deceased.
• The incident caused a major US port to close, sparking concerns about disruptions to global supply chains.
• Experts believe several factors, like low-quality fuel causing a power failure and the bridge being designed for smaller ships, might have contributed to the collapse.
• This catastrophic event not only raises concerns about bridge maintenance but also sheds light on the details surrounding the ship accident that led to this disaster.
• Synergy confirmed that all crew members, who are Indian nationals, and the two pilots.
• Both US citizens from Baltimore, were safe, with no reports of injuries.
• A shipping expert told the BBC that the crash was unusual despite possible explanations like engine failure, steering failure, or generator blackout.
• Two pilots were present during the incident.
• This is not the first incident involving the Dali; in 2016, while attempting to leave the Belgian port of Antwerp.
• The ship scraped its stern along the quay, damaging the hull.
• There were no reports of injuries or spillages.
• The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPAS) reported that Singapore flagged The Dali in October 2016.
• Certificates covering the structural integrity of the vessel and the functionality of its equipment were valid at the time of the incident, as confirmed by the MPAS.
• The vessel underwent and passed two separate foreign port state inspections in June and September 2023.
• In the June 2023 inspection, a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified before the vessel departed the port.

What Happened?

• The cause of the incident appears to be a power failure aboard the Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali.
• The powerless vessel rammed into a bridge support, triggering a section of the bridge to crumble into the Patapsco River below.
• Thankfully, a last-minute distress call from the Dali allowed authorities to halt traffic on the bridge, preventing further casualties.

Search and Recovery Efforts

• The immediate aftermath focused on rescuing survivors and locating the missing.
• Two individuals were pulled from the water, but tragically, six construction workers who were on the bridge at the time are presumed dead.
• Search efforts have transitioned to a recovery operation due to the hazardous conditions.

Why Power Loss:

• Video footage from the incident shows the Dali losing power just before the collision.
• A power outage may have caused the ship’s crew to lose control of its steering, making it impossible to guide its path.
• Investigators are currently examining whether dirty fuel played a part in the power failure experienced by the Dali ship.
• Contaminated fuel can cause issues with a vessel’s engines and power generation systems, leading to malfunctions and loss of control.
• Reports indicate that the ship’s engines experienced difficulties, with one engine even ceasing to function entirely.
• The presence of a strong smell of burned fuel in the engine room further suggests potential fuel-related issues.

Francis Scott Key Bridge:

• The Baltimore Bridge, commonly referred to as the Key Bridge, was initiated in 1977 as a tribute to Francis Scott Key.
• A renowned Maryland poet of the 19th century credited with penning the lyrics to the US national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner.
• This bridge, stretching 1.6 miles (2.6 km), traverses the Patapsco River and Baltimore Harbor, providing a crucial link across these waterways.
• The Patapsco River empties into the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States.
• The Key Bridge boasted a main span of 1,200 feet (366 meters), ranking as the world’s third-longest continuous truss bridge.

What will be the impact of the bridge’s collapse?

• The collapse of the Key Bridge will lead to significant disruptions in road traffic and shipping activities in the port of Baltimore.
• The bridge, part of Interstate 695 known as the “Baltimore Beltway,” carried around 11.5 million vehicles annually.
• While alternative routes exist, such as tunnels closer to the city, there’s anticipation of major traffic problems.
• Especially for trucks carrying hazardous materials, authorities prohibit the use of the tunnel route.
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted the uncertainty of the port’s closure timeline but stressed the inevitable and prolonged impact on supply chains.
• Container shipping expert Lars Jansen labeled the event a “major disaster,” forecasting significant challenges for US importers and exporters along the East Coast.
• Many merchant vessels are now trapped in the port, exacerbating the situation.
• Despite efforts to divert cargo to other ports, around 800,000 vehicles and 1.3 million tons of imported cargo passed through the port in 2023.
• About 4,000 commercial trucks a day used the bridge, and detours are expected to increase delivery times and fuel costs
• However, Jansen believes the incident’s global impact will be relatively minor, despite inevitable delays and added costs.
• The Port of Baltimore, America’s largest vehicle handling port, boasts the deepest harbor in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay.
• Situated closer to the Midwest than other East Coast ports, it offers convenient access to one-third of the nation’s population within an overnight drive.
• Between $100 million and $200 million worth of cargo flows through the port daily. However, a halt in operations could lead to unemployment for many longshore workers, cautioned Buttigieg.

Conclusion:

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, triggered by a cargo ship collision, has led to major disruptions in road traffic and shipping activities.
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References:

• Francis Scott Key Bridge (Baltimore) [1].
• Baltimore Bridge [2].