Ship leaves Baltimore months after bridge collapse

TThe Dali cargo ship sailed from Baltimore to Virginia on Monday, nearly three months later lost power and crashed into one of the support columns of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused the bridge to collapse.

The 984-foot Dali began moving shortly before 8:30 a.m. with four tugboats.

The Dali was sailing under its own power with a full crew of 22 and six salvage experts, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.

The Coast Guard is supervising the voyage and providing a 500-meter safety zone around the Dali during the voyage.

The Dali is scheduled to go directly to the Virginia International Gateway to unload about 1,500 cargo containers to reduce draft, the Coast Guard said. The vessel is then scheduled to travel to the Norfolk International Terminal, where it is scheduled to undergo ongoing salvage and repairs to the damage caused during the bridge collapse.

Shortly after leaving Baltimore Harbor early March 26the ship lost power and propulsion and collided with one of the bridge’s support columns, killing six construction workers.

On May 20th, From there it was refloated and guided back to port. The ship was trapped among the wreckage for almost two months, with a huge steel truss hanging from the damaged bow.

A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that the ship suffered two power outages hours before leaving the port of Baltimore. Moments before the bridge collapsed, it lost power again and went off course. The agency is still investigating what caused the electrical outages.

In an update to its May investigative report, the NTSB said Monday that investigators completed in-person interviews with the Dali’s crew.

The update noted that investigators removed an electrical component known as the terminal block, as well as two pieces of control wiring associated with the terminal block.

“We continue to examine the removed components at the NTSB Materials Laboratory,” the board said. “We will continue to evaluate the design and operation of the vessel’s electrical power distribution system and investigate all aspects of the accident to determine the probable cause and identify potential safety recommendations.”

Last week, under a settlement confirmed by a federal judge, some members of the Dali’s crew were allowed to return home. Of the 10 allowed to leave, eight did so, said Darrell Wilson, spokesman for ship management Synergy Marine. The total of around two dozen seafarers come from India and Sri Lanka.

Under the agreement, crew members who return home must be available for statements.

Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners saw their jobs impacted by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to normal capacity in hopes of alleviating the situation. economic ripple effects.

Earlier this month, officials announced the reopening of the Fort McHenry Federal Canal after clearing debris from the 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep canal.

Monday was also the deadline for Maryland to submit proposals to rebuild the bridge. Procurement regulations prohibit the state from providing information about proposals until a contract award is made and the state announces the design and construction team. The state estimates the award and announcement in mid- or late summer.

Officials said they hope to rebuild the bridge by 2028.