BALTIMORE, MD – According to recent reports surrounding the vessel responsible for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier in March, the cargo ship in question apparently was enduring “severe electrical problems” days before the catastrophic impact with the bridge.
There are currently six people presumed dead following the bridge’s collapse which occurred amid the early morning hours of March 26, which in light of the tragic nature and catastrophic damage caused by the incident, questions abound regarding the cargo ship at the center of the matter.
Reports have already surfaced regarding the Dali, the cargo ship involved in the incident, which detailed some of the minor deficiencies and incidents from years past which were reportedly rectified in the years that followed.
One such past incident occurred back in July of 2016 where an attempt at unmooring maneuvers by the vessel’s crew resulted in the ship colliding with the stone wall along the Port of Antwerp in Belgium. While the cargo ship sustained significant damage amid the aforesaid incident, the damage was subsequently repaired.
Additionally, in June of 2023, an inspection of the Dali in Chile revealed propulsion and auxiliary machinery issues, but the vessel went on to pass foreign port inspections that same month and in September of 2023 after rectifying the issues at hand.
But new reports suggest the Dali was not up to par mere days before the impact with the Francis Scott Key Bridge. According to Julie Mitchell, co-administrator of Container Royalty, which is an outfit tasked with monitoring the tonnage on container ships which come through Baltimore, claims the Dali was experiencing “severe electrical problems” while docked in Baltimore two days before the impact with the bridge.
While speaking with ITV News, Mitchell claimed, “[T]hose two days, they were having serious power outages…they had a severe electrical problem… It was total power failure, loss of engine power, everything.”
The port worker explained in furtherance that refrigerated containers aboard the cargo ship were causing breakers on the vessel to trip, with crewmembers utilizing generators while attempting to fix the electrical issues on the fly. In Mitchell’s opinion, the Dali should’ve never departed the Baltimore port before fully fixing the electrical issues.
The alleged electrical issues mere days before the impact is seemingly relevant to the ongoing investigation, as Maryland Governor Wes Moore did mention in the hours after the impact on March 26 that the Dali’s crew notified officials the vessel had lost power prior to the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to hold a press conference with additional details on the investigation at 8:00 p.m. ET on March 27.
Gregory Hoyt is a former contributor to outlets such as Law Enforcement Today and Red Voice Media, and current host of The Breakdown with Greg Hoyt. Based out of Sierra Vista, Arizona, Hoyt is a staunch and outspoken advocate of law enforcement and first responders, while also harboring the unique experience of having spent nearly 5 years in prison. Since then, he's used his unique perspective to offer support and commentary about the criminal justice system. When not working or combating bad ideas, Hoyt also leisurely studies economics, history, and law.