Gulf Intercoastal Waterway Closed After Barge Strikes Bridge in Galveston
A section of the busy Gulf Intercoastal Waterway has been closed to vessel traffic after a barge allided with a bridge that connects Galveston to Pelican Island, officials said on Wednesday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston were notified of the allision at 9:50 a.m. and that the cause of the incident is under investigation. The barge, owned by Martin Petroleum, is believed to be a runaway that broke loose from a tow.There were no known injuries…
Containership Lost Power Several Times Before Striking Bridge in Baltimore
The cargo ship Dali lost electrical power several times before it crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six people and paralyzing a major transportation artery for the U.S, Northeast, federal investigators said on Tuesday.The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a preliminary report that about 10 hours before leaving Baltimore the Dali experienced a blackout during in-port maintenance and shortly before the crash.The board said the cargo ship…
Collapsed Baltimore Bridge Blasted into Pieces
U.S. crews in Baltimore set off controlled explosions on Monday to allow them to remove a portion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the bow of the massive container ship that toppled the span in March.The detonations were meant to break the bridge's truss into small sections, enabling salvage crews to use cranes and barges to haul away the twisted metal wreckage, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said. The work, originally planned for Sunday, was delayed because of weather conditions.The U.S.
Salvors Set to Blast Collapsed Baltimore to Pieces
U.S. crews in Baltimore plan to set off controlled explosions on Monday to allow them to remove a portion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge from the bow of the massive container ship that toppled the span in March.The detonations will break the bridge's truss into small sections, enabling salvage crews to use cranes and barges to haul away the twisted metal wreckage, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said. The work had been planned for Sunday but it was delayed because of weather conditions.Afterwards…
Body Camera Video Captures First Reactions to Baltimore Bridge Collapse
Body camera video captured the shocked reactions of first responders in the aftermath of the collapse of a Baltimore bridge in March in which six men were killed.The recordings, obtained by local media on Friday, offer a snapshot of the incredulity of officers from the Maryland Natural Resources Police as they approached the site where the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed."Dude, this is fucking bad, like there is no bridge," one person can be heard in the video…
Charges Readied for Demolition of Portion of Key Bridge
The safest and swiftest method to remove the bridge piece from on top of the M/V Dali is by precision cuts made with small charges, said the Unified Command on Thursday as salvors were preparing charges. The charges will enable the upcoming precision cuts to remove section 4 from the port side of the bow of the Dali.The Singaporean-flagged container vessel Dali allided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. The bridge, which connects Hawkins Point and Dundalk, Maryland…
US House Panel to Hold Hearing on Baltimore Bridge Collapse
The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a May 15 hearing on the federal government's response to the collapse of a Baltimore bridge.The Dali containership crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, killing six people.The hearing will include Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy and senior officials with the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers. The NTSB is expected to announce preliminary findings from the investigation next week.Last month…
Authorities Identify Sixth Bridge Collapse Victim
Unified Command salvage teams have located the sixth victim of the Baltimore bridge collapse.Maryland State Police investigators along with officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and the FBI responded to the scene and recovered the body of a sixth construction worker. The victim is identified as José Mynor López, 37, of Baltimore, Maryland.“With heavy hearts, today marks a significant milestone in our recovery efforts and providing closure to the loved ones of the six workers who lost their lives in this tragic event,” said Colonel Roland L.
Oil that Spilled from Barge in Tobago Might Be from Venezuela
A barge that capsized in February and caused a large oil spill near Tobago that also affected neighboring Caribbean islands might have picked up the fuel from Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago's energy minister Stuart Young said on Monday."The vessels were on the way to Guyana," the minister said of a barge being towed by a tug boat while revealing the results of his government's investigation on the incident.The spill, previously identified by Trinidad's authorities as fuel oil, emerged from a capsized vessel first spotted by the country's Coast Guard on Feb.
Ship Engine Failure Halts Bosphorus Vessel Traffic
Traffic was suspended in Turkey's Bosphorus on Tuesday after a bulk carrier had an engine failure at the southern end of the straits that run through Istanbul, shipping agent Tribeca said.It said that the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Alexis suffered the engine failure at 5 a.m. (0200 GMT) and that vessels were sent to the area for a likely salvage operation.(Reuters - Reporting by Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)
Inclinometers Readied for Dali Operations
Salvage crews within the Key Bridge Unified Command continue to prepare for the complex task of removing the large piece of bridge lying on top of the M/V Dali.Prior to removing the bridge piece, salvage teams must meticulously analyze and factor in numerous hazards and obstacles resulting from the bridge's impact. Crushed containers, hull damage, and weight shifts are among the critical considerations crews must address during the bridge removal and refloating operation of the…
Unified Command Prepares for Removal of Bridge Piece on Top of Dali
Key Bridge Unified command salvors have begun preparing for the removal of bridge section four, which lies across the bow of the M/V Dali.The operation requires careful handling of roadbed material, crushed containers and bridge fragments currently resting on the M/V Dali’s bow.The salvage teams are preparing for the refloat of the Dali, ensuring all aspects of the wreckage impacts are thoroughly evaluated and addressed. "The complexities of this next phase of operations require thorough preparation, strategic planning, and specialized expertise," said Capt.
Maryland Estimates Bridge Replacement Cost at Up to $1.9 Billion
Maryland said on Thursday it estimates it will cost $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion to rebuild a collapsed Baltimore bridge and anticipates it will be completed by fall 2028.The Maryland Department of Transportation said the state's "planning level cost estimate is between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion" which "is in line with similar projects of this scale and complexity."The Dali cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, killing six people. Lawmakers in Congress…
Maryland Estimates Bridge Replacement Cost at $1.7 - $1.9 Billion
Maryland said on Thursday it estimates it will cost $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion to rebuild a collapsed Baltimore bridge and anticipates it will be completed by fall 2028.The Maryland Department of Transportation said the state's "planning level cost estimate is between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion" which "is in line with similar projects of this scale and complexity."The Dali cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, killing six people. Lawmakers in Congress…
Lloyd's Insurers Expect Moderate Baltimore Bridge Claims
Lloyd's of London insurers Hiscox and Lancashire do not expect large insurance claims from the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in March that caused widespread disruption, they said on Thursday.Some estimates for the total insured losses from the bridge collapse run into billions of dollars, given the loss of lives, bridge repair costs and traffic re-routing.The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday insurer Chubb was preparing to make a $350 million payout to the state of Maryland.Hiscox does not have direct exposure to the business interruption policy of the port…
Fifth Victim Recovered from Key Bridge Collapse Site
The Unified Command recovered the body of another missing victim at the Key Bridge incident site on May 1, 2024.The victim is identified as Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez, 49, of Glen Burnie, Maryland.Unified Command salvage teams located one of the missing construction vehicles and promptly notified the Maryland Department of State Police. Police investigators along with officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and the FBI then recovered the body of a fifth construction worker inside a red truck.
Unified Command Reflects on Key Bridge Disaster Response Efforts
Approximately one month has passed since the Singaporean-flagged container vessel M/V Dali allided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. The bridge, which connects Hawkins Point and Dundalk, Maryland, collapsed into the lower Patapsco River, bringing all maritime traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore to a standstill.The Unified Command offers its reflection on the response efforts underway:During the incident involving the Dali, eight road crew workers, who were on break from repairing potholes, were present on the bridge when it collapsed.
First Ship Departs Baltimore Through Limited Access Channel
The first commercial vessel transited through a newly opened channel in the Port of Baltimore following the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.The Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel (LAC) was opened as a temporary solution to provide passage for a limited number of commercial vessels into the Port of Baltimore and a departure opportunity for some deep draft vessels currently unable to leave the harbor since the bridge collapse.The channel—the fourth to be opened…
US Investigators Interview Ship Personnel in Maryland Bridge Collapse
U.S. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said at a Senate hearing Wednesday that investigators had conducted interviews with key cargo ship personnel in the investigation of the March 26 Baltimore bridge collapse.The Dali cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, sending it crashing into the harbor and killing six people. Work to clear the wreckage and restore traffic through the Mid-Atlantic state's shipping channel is ongoing.Homendy said investigators remained on site and had interviewed the pilots…
FBI Opens Criminal Probe Into Deadly Baltimore Bridge Collapse
The FBI said on Monday it opened a criminal probe into the collapse of a Baltimore bridge in March when a ship crashed into a bridge support, while local officials confirmed the recovery of a fourth body from the incident.FBI agents boarded the cargo ship Dali to conduct court-authorized law enforcement activity regarding the crash, an FBI spokesperson said. The spokesperson said there was no other public information available and the bureau will have no further comment.The body…
Dredge Sunk by Undetected Flooding from a Through-hull Pipe
A company’s lack of requirements for crew to regularly check below-deck compartments led to undetected flooding and the eventual capsizing of a dredging vessel last year on the Mississippi River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.Wood Resources' owned and operated non-propelled dredging vessel WB Wood capsized on the early morning of Jan. 16, 2023, during dredging operations. Before the capsizing, the dredge had been in the same location for nine days, pumping sand from the riverbed to a pit on the west bank.
First Containers Removed from Dali
The Unified Command began to remove containers onboard M/V Dali at the Key Bridge incident site, Sunday. Salvors removed containers from the Dali as part of the effort to gain access to the portion of the Key Bridge that lies atop the ship. The transfer of containers from the Dali will continue in the coming days, as weather permits.The removal of the containers is a critical step required to safely move the Dali and eventually fully re-open the Fort McHenry Channel. Removing containers allows for safe access to then remove the pieces of the Key Bridge that lie across the ship’s bow…
Dali Hit Key Bridge with the Force of 66 Heavy Trucks at Highway Speed
The cargo ship Dali knocked down three main truss spans, constructed with connected steel elements forming triangles, on the Francis Scott Key Bridge just seconds after crashing into one of the bridge piers early on Tuesday morning, March 26, 2024.The bridge collapse happened so fast that it left little time for the work crews on the bridge to escape. Civil engineers like me have been paying attention to this disaster, because we want to find ways to make infrastructure like these large bridges more resilient. For a bridge this large to collapse would require a catastrophic collision force.