Baltimore Bridge collapse after ship collision 125

[Tomfh]

https://amp.9news.com.au/article/b73620ea-64ab-4253-8cb0-37102418fcab

 

[bugbus]

Really crazy. Possibly avoided a major catastrophe since it happened at 1.30 AM and not during peak hour. Apparently ~7 people missing. (Edit: up to 20 people?)

 

[goldgelb]

The full video shows the ship suddenly turning to starboard and all of its lights going dark and coming on again multiple times right before the collision. Very strange. Hope they manage to rescue as many as possible.

 

[LittleInch]

Form what I could see off the video it looks like the ship hit the tower and basically lifted the structure off the supports causing instant global collapse. Ack in t h e 1970s you wonder what sort of hazards were considered and how to stop ships crashing into the bridge. There are some big buoys or may e stations visible but not enough clearly.

The boat had pilots, was in good weather so sudden power loss? Rudder failure?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[GeorgeTheCivilEngineer]

As @goldgelb said, the ship lights go off a few minutes and a few seconds before the collision.

It's been a while since I looked at ship impact but there's not much you can realistically do to stop a container ship impact directly, so it needs to be in the right place or headed off much earlier.

 

[LittleInch]

Maybe it's me, but this design looks to be particularly susceptible to collapse in the event of a collision with what appears to be gravity based resting supports onto the concrete pier. A full steel structure going down into the caissons would have given some resistance?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[human909]

Tragedy for those who lost their live or their loved ones.

But amazingly fortuitous that the bridge was so empty at the time. Even minutes earlier it seemed much busier.

 

[bugbus]

The lights going out on the ship prior to the collision might suggest there was some kind of power issue leading to loss of steering and/or thrust? Maybe they were just passengers for a good few minutes before the crash.

 

[kipfoot]

tragic. I suspect that part of the discussion touch on the relative size and mass of container ships now versus 50 years ago.

 

[thebard3]

It looks like the entire port of Baltimore is now cut off from shipping in both directions. This could have adverse implications for months to come.

Brad Waybright

The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

 

[goldgelb]

@bugbus The smoke billowing from the chimney right after the lights come back on the first time (that can be seen in the video) would seem to support that. If the steering could be affected even after power is seemingly regained, I don't know. I assume the ship only has one screw and that inadvertent differential thrust is not the reason.

 

[phamENG]

A sad day, indeed. From the looks of it, several of the vehicles were likely maintenance workers. Looks like several of them had flashing yellow lights and were not moving.

It looks like the entire port of Baltimore is now cut off from shipping in both directions.

As much as I hate the traffic, it makes me thankful for the tunnels we have here in Norfolk/Virginia Beach.

I can only find a video that starts a couple seconds before the strike - not seeing the apparent power failure (at least one bright spotlight is visible forward and then gets subsequently crushed by the collapse).

 

[GeorgeTheCivilEngineer]

I can only find a video that starts a couple seconds before the strike - not seeing the apparent power failure (at least one bright spotlight is visible forward and then gets subsequently crushed by the collapse).

Third post in this thread has a link to the full video

 

[phamENG]

Ah. Thanks. Missed that.

 

[saikee119]

After the impact one pier remains the other was demolished.

The demolished pier does not seem to be able to withstand an impact by a containership. This looks like an under-design. If that is the case the bridge could have been protected by installed extra stronger piers before and after the weak pier to withstand the containship impact.

 

[LionelHutz]

The bow reached over the pier and took out the support. Same as when a ship gets sideways at the dock and the bow takes out cranes. The bridge likely would have survived if the ship behind the bow had side swiped the pier.

 

[GPR_Tech]

From 10 Tampa Bay, a hour long helicopter fly over footage.

Link

https://www.youtube.com/live/Dd6x-QBQmoY?feature=shared

 

[GPR_Tech]

Question: Does Baltimore use Harbor Pilots ?
ALSO, Knowing that probability that a given harm may occur is Low but its severity is High... are Tugboats ever used to assist with large vessels maneuvering though and near important infrastructure? If not, should they? Do other ports do so?

 

[ZR Shipwright]

Yes, and two pilots were onboard.

 

[ZR Shipwright]

The ship going completely dark twice means she lost power and was unable to effectively bring it back. She would have had no rudder or thrusters while carrying both a full cargo and presumably heavy fuel load. Meaning she was deep in the water, most susceptible to any kind of current, with no control and massive forward inertia. The question to answer is why the power loss, which I can't begin to guess at right now.

edit:

The container ship, Dali, had been inspected 27 times since its building in 2015, and had two “deficiencies" since then, according to records from the Electronic Quality Shipping Information System (Equasis).

In June of 2023, in San Antonio, Chile, the Chilean authorities gave the Dali a “deficiency” for “propulsion and auxiliary machinery — gauges, thermometers, etc,” according to Equasis records. And, in November of 2016, in Antwerp, Belgium, the Dali was given another “deficiency” for "structural conditions” described as “hull damage impairing seaworthiness," due to it being holed, Equasis records show.

Dali was involved in an incident in 2016 in the Port of Antwerp, port officials confirmed to CNN.

The last inspection the Dali had was on September 9, 2023, when it inspected by the United States Coast Guard in New York, New York, Equasis reports. No deficiencies were noted from that inspection, according to the database.