Two power outages occurred due to unexpected electrical breaker tripping. A container ship crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, plunging into the Port of Baltimore and killing six people, federal investigators said in a preliminary report released Tuesday.
The 947-foot Singapore-flagged Dali suffered two power outages minutes before hitting the bridge, and the ship was unable to steer from one of its piers, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report. Lost propulsion. After radioing for help, the crew dropped anchor as a last resort to avoid a collision.
But it was already too late. The crew reportedly told investigators that they had to flee from the collapsing bridge as they were releasing the anchor’s brakes.
The NTSB is still investigating factors that may have contributed to the accident, including the design and operation of Dali’s power distribution system, including the breakers, the report said.
However, the report notes that testing of Dali’s fuel did not identify any quality concerns. The NTSB is also helping local governments determine whether protection of piers within the port needs to be improved, according to the report.
The Dali, chartered by Danish shipping giant Maersk, was headed for Sri Lanka when it crashed into a bridge at 1:28 a.m. on March 26. Minutes before the crash, the ship’s lights went out, then flashed briefly, and black smoke billowed from the chimney — a sign of a power outage.
Seconds after the crash, the bridge, considered the city’s jewel, collapsed into the depths of the Patapsco River, killing six road construction workers on the bridge. This was probably the most expensive maritime disaster in history. Two workers were rescued from the river. All 22 of the ship’s crew survived, as well as the two pilots who were helping the Dali navigate the port.
The catastrophe occurred within seconds, with video footage showing cars and trucks parked on the bridge just before the impact.
The NTSB’s preliminary report also revealed that the Dali suffered a power outage during maintenance at the port 10 hours before the collision. The report said the outage was caused by crew error.
The NTSB said in its report that a link between the earlier power outage and the power outage that preceded the fatal accident remains under investigation.
The report noted that just before Dali set sail, the captain told a local pilot assigned to guide the ship out of the port that the ship was in good working order.
The report said two tugboats assisted the Dali as it left the pier and entered the port before being refloated. The pilot handed over control of the ship to his apprentice, and soon the first power outage occurred. The senior pilot regained control.
Emergency generators restored power to the Dali, and the pilots called tugboats for help. The pilot gave the order to drop anchor. The pilot’s dispatcher alerted the police and coast guard.
A second power outage then stranded Dali, but once again a generator restored power. However, there was no propulsion to assist with steering.
One of the pilots alerted other boats over marine radio. Police ordered the bridge closed to traffic, leaving only road construction workers on the bridge.
Dali then crashed into a bridge.
It is rare for a ship of such size to lose power, and even more rare for it to occur in a narrow strait near a large bridge pillar. A last-minute Mayday action and quick action on the ground likely prevented even more casualties.
A week-long search uncovered the bodies of six construction workers, the last of which was recovered on May 7. The NTSB and FBI have launched an investigation into the collapse. The City of Baltimore has filed a legal claim against Dali’s owner, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and its management company, Synergy Marine, alleging negligence and full responsibility for the collapse.
In a previous statement, Synergy and Grace Ocean expressed sympathy “to everyone affected and their families,” but declined to comment on the cause of the accident, citing an unfinished investigation and ongoing legal proceedings. . Maersk said in a statement that its “thoughts are with all parties affected by this situation,” but stressed that the company does not own or operate Dali. Maersk announced it would conduct its own investigation.
On Monday, precision explosives dismantled a bridge span that had fallen onto the container ship, ultimately freeing the ship.
President Joe Biden has vowed that his government will help rebuild the bridge as soon as possible because the Port of Baltimore is a major part of the Northeast’s economy and the busiest port for importing and exporting automobiles.
