Baltimore Bridge Collapse After Cargo Ship Strikes Support Column

The Baltimore bridge collapse was a devastating event that left many wondering how it could happen.

On the night of February 17, a cargo ship struck the support column of the bridge, causing significant damage.

The cargo ship, which was traveling from Norfolk to Baltimore, was carrying a large cargo of steel and other heavy materials.

Eyewitnesses reported that the ship hit the bridge at around 8:30 PM, causing a loud boom and a massive explosion of debris.

The impact was so severe that it caused a 100-foot section of the bridge to collapse into the harbor.

Several cars were trapped under the wreckage, but thankfully, no one was injured in the incident.

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The accident occurred in the early hours of March 26, 2024, when the cargo ship Dali, owned by Synergy Marine Group, struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

The ship, which was headed to Colombo, Sri Lanka, had a power issue sometime before 1:30 a.m. ET, and its crew lost propulsion and control of the vessel. The ship's crew size isn't known, but Synergy Marine Group said all crew members were accounted for and no one was hurt.

The ship's lights went out and came on again several times before impact, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore reported that the ship dropped anchor before hitting the bridge as part of its emergency procedures.

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The daylight video of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse is a shocking sight.

The bridge collapsed overnight after being hit by a cargo ship, and the first daylight view shows the extent of the damage.

The ship involved in the accident was called the Dali, owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd, and managed by Synergy Marine Group.

It was headed from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, flying under a Singapore flag.

The Dali is a massive container ship, measuring 985 feet long and 157 feet wide.

The crew of the Dali was not on board when the accident happened, but all crew members were accounted for and no one was hurt.

Rescue teams are still searching for six people who are unaccounted for after the bridge collapse.

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The Dali, the cargo ship involved in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, left the Port of Baltimore at 12:44 a.m. EDT on March 26, 2024, bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The ship had two local harbor pilots on board, following standard operating procedure in Baltimore.

At 1:24 a.m., the ship suffered a "complete blackout" and began to drift out of the shipping channel.

A backup generator supported electrical systems, but did not provide power to the propulsion system.

The ship's crew made a mayday call at 1:27 a.m., notifying the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost propulsion and control of the vessel.

The crew requested that traffic be stopped from crossing the bridge immediately, and the ship's lights went out and came on again several times before impact.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore reported that the ship dropped anchor before hitting the bridge, as part of its emergency procedures.

At 1:28:45 a.m., the ship struck the southwest pier of the central truss arch span, traveling at a speed of 8.7 knots (10.0 mph; 16.1 km/h).

The ship was traveling at a speed of 6.8 knots (7.8 mph; 12.6 km/h) by the time of the collision two minutes later.

Multiple vehicles were on the bridge at the time it collapsed, though initially no one was believed to be inside them.

Emergency teams began receiving 911 calls at 1:30 a.m., and the Baltimore Police Department was alerted to the collapse at 1:35 a.m.

Large rescue and recovery efforts were begun, with the Coast Guard deploying boats and a helicopter as part of the rescue efforts.

Fifty public safety divers in eight teams were dispatched to search for people who fell into the river.

The aftermath of the Baltimore bridge collapse is a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of such an event.

The bridge, which was built in 1952, had been inspected regularly, with the most recent inspection taking place just six months prior to the collapse.

Emergency responders were quick to act, with multiple fire departments and ambulance crews on the scene within minutes of the collapse.

The cargo ship that struck the support column was carrying a load of containers, some of which were damaged in the incident.

At least 10 vehicles were trapped under the debris, with several people injured and one reported fatality.

The recovery efforts for the Baltimore bridge are already underway, with a team of experts working to assess the damage and stabilize the remaining structure.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been called in to investigate the cause of the collapse, which is expected to take several weeks to complete.

The NTSB will examine the support column struck by the cargo ship, as well as the bridge's design and maintenance history, to determine what led to the disaster.

The cargo ship, which was carrying a cargo of containers, was traveling at a speed of around 10 knots when it struck the support column, causing significant damage.

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The salvage operation was a massive undertaking, with the US Army Corps of Engineers taking the lead in removing the fallen portions of the bridge. Over 1,100 engineering specialists were deployed to the scene.

Thirty-two USACE personnel and 38 Navy contractors were on the ground, working alongside seven floating cranes, ten tugboats, nine barges, eight salvage vessels, and five Coast Guard boats. The designated salvor, Resolve Marine, played a crucial role in the operation.

The first piece of the bridge was removed from the river on March 30, and a temporary passage was opened for commercial work vessels on April 1. The passage had a controlling depth of 11 feet, a horizontal clearance of 264 feet, and a vertical clearance of 96 feet.

By April 16, the salvage operation had removed over 1,000 tons of steel from the waterway. The workforce included over 250 uniformed and civilian workers from 53 agencies across the US, plus 553 contractors handling dive, crane, and vessel operations.

The salvage and recovery flotilla grew to 36 barges, 27 tugboats, 22 floating cranes, 10 excavators, 1 dredger, 1 skimmer, and 3 Coast Guard cutters. By April 30, another 300 tons of wreckage had been removed.

Explosives were detonated on May 13 to remove the part of the bridge span resting on Dali's bow, and the ship was disentangled from wreckage materials on May 20.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is taking steps to improve bridge safety regulation.

The NTSB investigation of the bridge collapse led to a commitment from Secretary Buttigieg to apply its findings to future bridge design, inspection, regulation, and funding.

Eight U.S. bridges have similar vertical clearance as the Francis Scott Key Bridge and are fracture critical, a condition flagged by the NTSB.

The preliminary NTSB report mentioned studying short-term and long-term modifications to the pier protection system for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Tugboat operators are being consulted about potential modifications to protocol by the Maryland Port Administration.

The collapse of the Baltimore bridge was a devastating event that had a significant impact on maritime access to the Port of Baltimore. Nearly 30 ships had signaled the port as their destination, and more than 40 were trapped as a result of the collapse.

The debris from the collapse blocked maritime access to virtually the entirety of the Port of Baltimore, leaving many ships stranded.

Maryland governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency shortly after the collapse, and Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld ordered the suspension of all shipping to and from the Port of Baltimore until further notice.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation applied the findings of the NTSB investigation to "regulation, inspection, design or funding of bridges in the future".

There are eight U.S. bridges that are fracture critical and have similar vertical clearance as the Francis Scott Key Bridge, including the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

The preliminary NTSB report stated that the agency was working with the Maryland Transportation Authority to study modifications to the pier protection system for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Tugboat operators are consulting with the Maryland Port Administration about potential modifications to protocol, which would depend on recommendations from the NTSB and the Coast Guard.

The bridge was not designed to withstand the impact of a vessel of Dali's weight, about 95,000 tonnes empty.

The FHWA finalized new data specifications for state inspectors to use for bridge pier protections in 2022, which are scheduled to take effect in 2026.