Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Investigators Probe Contaminated Fuel Link In Cargo Ship Collision

Investigators are reportedly looking into whether contaminated fuel may have played a part in a colossal cargo ship losing power and crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

What Happened: The safety probe will scrutinize the operations and safety record of the vessel, known as the Dali, as well as those of its owner and operator, reported The Wall Street Journal. The ship’s lights began to flicker about an hour into its journey, and a harbor pilot and assistant reported power issues and loss of propulsion before the crash.

“The vessel went dead, no steering power and no electronics,” an officer on the Dali reported.

“One of the engines coughed and then stopped. The smell of burned fuel was everywhere in the engine room and it was pitch black.”

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The Dali was built in 2015 by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries. Operated by Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group, the vessel was hauling cargo for Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk. The almost 1,000-foot-long ship had left a terminal at the Port of Baltimore and was heading to Sri Lanka. The ship is owned by a Singaporean company, Grace Ocean Pte.

The bridge collapse is expected to lead to a string of multi-billion-dollar insurance claims. The Francis Scott Key Bridge, built in 1977, cost over $60 million, equivalent to about $300 million today when adjusted for inflation. The scale of the losses suggests that litigation is inevitable.

Why It Matters: The bridge collapse in Baltimore is more than a local incident; it has ramifications for global trade and the automotive industry. Following a bridge collapse in Baltimore, major automakers like General Motors and Ford Motor Company are rerouting shipments. Despite the potential for significant disruption, industry leaders anticipate the disturbance to their operations will be minimal.

The immediate aftermath of the collapse saw a frantic search for survivors, with seven people initially unaccounted for. The bridge’s destruction also raises questions about the costs of damage and who will bear the financial burden.

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