The Dali cargo ship that hit Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, leading to a deadly collapse, is back in service just about 10 months after the maritime catastrophe. In March 2024, The vessel lost power and struck one of the bridge’s main support beams, causing the bridge to fall into the river below.
What happened when the ship hit the bridge?
The collapse killed six construction workers filling potholes on the bridge. The disaster also disrupted international trade and local traffic for months.
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What did the ship’s operator say about its return to service?
In a social media post on Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Dali operator, Synergy Marine Group, wrote, that it has “reaffirmed our continuing commitment to upholding the highest standards of maritime safety and operational excellence.”
It’s unclear if the same crew members involved in last year’s crash are aboard the ship. However, it is once again sailing under the flag of Singapore after undergoing permanent repairs, testing and recertification in China in November 2024.
How is the investigation into the crash progressing?
Despite the ship’s return to the sea, an investigation is ongoing in the United States to hold those behind the Baltimore bridge collapse responsible.
Currently, a federal probe is looking into the role the Dali and the bridge’s design played in the disaster.
The companies that own and operate the Dali have asked a U.S. federal judge to clear them of any liability or limit damages to the value of the ship plus the revenue it stood to gain from its more than 112,000 tons worth of cargo, estimated at about $44 million. The case is still pending in federal court.
What is next for the bridge?
The replacement bridge is expected to cost up to $1.9 billion. The Biden administration pledged to pay for the entire rebuild. Congress passed funding for the rebuild in an end-of-year spending package in December 2024.
There is currently a debate in Maryland’s General Assembly over a bill to rename the bridge to the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge when it’s completed, adding the word “Memorial” to honor the six people who died in the tragedy.
Maryland state Del. Bob Long represents Maryland’s District 8 and introduced the bill to rename the bridge. He said the proposed name is meant to remember those who died and who responded to the disaster.
“Think about the people that lost their lives and think about the firefighters out of my district who was down there trying to rescue these guys. I think we need to remember that, change the name to Memorial bridge,” he said.
The bill must clear several hurdles before it comes up for a vote.
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What will the new bridge be named?
The move comes after various civil rights groups argued last year, that the bridge should no longer be named after Francis Scott Key. They cite the fact that he owned slaves.
Tags: Atlantic Ocean, Baltimore, Baltimore Bridge Collapse, Bridges and Structures Bureau, Cargo ships, Death, disaster, East Coast, Francis Scott Key Bridge, Joe Biden, shipping containers, Singapore, Trade
[KARAH RUCKER]
THE CARGO SHIP THAT HIT BALTIMORE’S FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE, CAUSING A DEADLY COLLAPSE, IS BACK IN SERVICE JUST 10 MONTHS AFTER THE CATASTROPHE.
THE DALI LOST POWER AND STRUCK ONE OF THE BRIDGE’S MAIN SUPPORT BEAMS, CAUSING THE BRIDGE TO FALL INTO THE RIVER BELOW BACK IN MARCH.
SIX CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON THE BRIDGE WERE KILLED AND THE MARITIME DISASTER DISRUPTED INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND LOCAL TRAFFIC FOR MONTHS.
IN A RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA POST, THE SINGAPORE-BASED SHIP OPERATOR, SYNERGY MARINE GROUP, SAID FOLLOWING THE DISASTER, “WE REAFFIRMED OUR CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO UPHOLDING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF MARITIME SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.”
IT’S UNCLEAR IF ANY OF THE SAME CREW MEMBERS INVOLVED IN LAST YEAR’S CRASH ARE ABOARD THE SHIP, BUT IT IS ONCE AGAIN SAILING UNDER THE FLAG OF SINGAPORE AFTER UNDERGOING PERMANENT REPAIRS, TESTING AND RECERTIFICATION IN CHINA IN NOVEMBER.
DESPITE THE SHIP’S RETURN TO THE SEA, AN INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING IN THE U-S TO HOLD THOSE BEHIND THE BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE RESPONSIBLE.
A FEDERAL PROBE IS LOOKING INTO THE ROLE THE DALI AND THE BRIDGE’S DESIGN PLAYED IN THE DISASTER.
THE COMPANIES THAT OWN AND OPERATE THE DALI HAVE ASKED A FEDERAL JUDGE TO CLEAR THEM OF ANY LIABILITY OR LIMIT DAMAGES TO THE VALUE OF THE SHIP PLUS THE REVENUE IT STOOD TO GAIN FROM ITS MORE THAN 112-THOUSAND TONS WORTH OF CARGO — ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 44 MILLION DOLLARS
THE CASE IS STILL PENDING IN FEDERAL COURT.
THE REPLACEMENT BRIDGE IS EXPECTED TO COST UP TO ONE-POINT-NINE BILLION DOLLARS. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PLEDGED TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE REBUILD. FUNDING FOR THE REBUILD WAS PASSED IN AN END-OF-YEAR SPENDING PACKAGE IN DECEMBER.
THERE’S CURRENTLY A DEBATE IN MARYLAND’S GENERAL ASSEMBLY OVER A BILL TO RENAME THE BRIDGE TO THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY MEMORIAL BRIDGE WHEN IT’S COMPLETED.
ADDING THE WORD “MEMORIAL” TO HONOR THE SIX PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE TRAGEDY.
[BOB LONG]
THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LOST THEIR LIVES AND THINK ABOUT THE FIREFIGHTERS OUT OF MY DISTRICT WHO WAS DOWN THERE TRYING TO RESCUE THESE GUYS. I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT. CHANGE THE NAME TO MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
[KARAH RUCKER]
THE BILL MUST CLEAR SEVERAL HURDLES BEFORE IT COMES UP FOR A VOTE.
THE MOVE COMES AFTER SEVERAL CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS ARGUED LAST YEAR, THE BRIDGE SHOULD NO LONGER BE NAMED AFTER FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, CITING THE FACT HE OWNED SLAVES.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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