An inquiry into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, will investigate whether contaminated fuel played a role in causing the cargo ship to lose power and collide with the bridge, as reported exclusively by The Washington Post.
As of late Tuesday (Mar 26), investigators had not boarded the vessel, a 948-foot-long container ship named the Dali, which remained lodged on a pillar of the collapsed bridge. It is anticipated that the ship could remain in this position for several weeks. On Tuesday, rescue teams devoted much of their efforts to searching for potential survivors, but authorities later announced that the operation had shifted from search and rescue to recovery.
According to a briefing report from the Coast Guard, approximately an hour into the ship’s journey early Tuesday, the lights on the Dali began to flicker. A harbour pilot and assistant reported encountering power problems and a loss of propulsion prior to the collision.
“The vessel went dead, no steering power and no electronics,” an officer aboard the ship said, as quoted by Fox News.
“One of the engines coughed and then stopped. The smell of burned fuel was everywhere in the engine room and it was pitch black,” he added.
According to the officer, the ship was unable to deploy anchors in time to prevent drifting, and the crew issued a mayday call before the collision occurred.
Although uncommon, blackouts at sea are recognised as a significant safety hazard for ships navigating on the water.
One potential cause of ship blackouts is fuel contamination, which can lead to issues with the vessel’s primary power generators, noted Fotis Pagoulatos, a naval architect, who spoke to Fox News. He explained that a complete blackout could result in the loss of propulsion, and while smaller generators may activate, they are insufficient to support all functions and require time to start.
During a press briefing, National Transportation Safety Board chief Jennifer Homendy stated that the investigation will encompass evaluations of the ship’s operations and safety history, as well as those of its owner and operator.
Efforts will be made to retrieve recorders from the vessel to ascertain the events leading up to the collision.
Inspection records and operational details
Data from Equasis, an international shipping database, revealed that the ship, constructed by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries in 2015, had undergone over 20 port state control inspections since its inception.
Despite numerous inspections, none resulted in detention, which occurs when a ship is deemed unsuitable for operation. However, two reviews documented deficiencies: one in Belgium in July 2016 noted hull damage, while another in Chile in June 2023 identified issues with the ship’s propulsion and auxiliary machinery.
In September 2023, the US Coast Guard conducted a review of the vessel and found no issues.
Operated by Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group for its voyage, the ship, carrying cargo for Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, departed from a terminal at the Port of Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka. Grace Ocean Pte., a Singaporean company, owns the vessel.
According to port officials, two tugboats assisted the ship in leaving the terminal on Tuesday. However, they withdrew from the operation early in the journey. Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Synergy Marine, stated that the ship had two pilots and 22 crew members from India on board at the time of the collision.
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Insurance experts predict that the collapse of the bridge will lead to a series of insurance claims totalling billions of dollars. These claims will cover various aspects such as the cost of replacing the bridge, losses incurred by businesses operating at the port, and other related expenses. Additionally, individuals affected by the accident may seek compensation by filing claims against the company operating the ship.
(With inputs from agencies)
