On Monday, June 24th, the cargo ship Dali, responsible for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, departed from Baltimore for Virginia. The departure marks nearly three months since the ship’s collision with a support pillar caused the bridge to fall into the Patapsco River, killing six construction workers.
The Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel, lost power in the minutes before it struck the bridge on March 26, leading to a catastrophic collapse. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the 947-foot ship experienced two power losses before the incident, leaving it without propulsion to steer clear of the bridge’s piers.
The United States Coast Guard supervised the Dali’s departure, providing a 500-yard safety zone around the vessel as it sailed to the Port of Virginia. An 87-foot patrol boat from Virginia Beach, the Coast Guard Cutter Sailfish, escorted the Dali. The ship, manned by a full crew of 22, will offload approximately 1,500 cargo containers at the Virginia International Gateway before proceeding to the Norfolk International Terminal for repairs.
The NTSB and FBI launched investigations into the bridge collapse. Preliminary findings indicated that Dali’s power outages were linked to an electrical component known as a terminal block, which has been removed for further examination. Investigators are evaluating the ship’s electrical power distribution system to determine the probable cause and recommend safety measures.
Following the incident, the Dali remained at the Port of Baltimore until it was refloated on May 20th. The vessel had been trapped amid the wreckage, with a steel truss draped over its damaged bow. The collapse significantly impacted local and state economies, affecting thousands of longshoremen, truckers, and small businesses.
Efforts to reopen Baltimore’s busy port have been prioritized, with the Fort McHenry federal channel cleared of debris earlier this month. Additionally, Maryland officials have received proposals to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, with plans to announce the design-build team by mid-to-late summer. The state aims to complete the new bridge by 2028.
The bridge collapse and the ship’s subsequent detention have highlighted the need for stringent safety protocols and effective crisis management to prevent similar incidents in the future.
