At 1:35 AM local time (equivalent to 6:35 AM in Italy) on the night of March 25th to 26th, 2024, a significant accident occurred in Baltimore, USA, when the container ship Dali collided with a pylon of the Francis Scott Key Bridge while exiting the port en route to Colombo. The crash ignited the bridge, leading to its collapse. Early reports indicate there are some casualties, with seven deaths reported.
An initial reconstruction from video footage shows the Dali crashing into the column supporting the bridge's central section, causing the collapse of the arches and the roadway, Interstate I-695, into the water below. The collision ignited a fire when the bridge structure struck the ship.
The Dali, operated by Great Ocean Investment based in Singapore, has a capacity of 9,962 TEU. The bridge, which stood over the Patapsco River, was 2.6 kilometers long. Built in 1977, it saw the passage of approximately twelve million vehicles every year.
The incident is also preventing other ships docked at the Port of Baltimore from leaving, as debris from the bridge obstructs navigation in the area. The port is among the most significant in the United States, especially for the handling of automobiles and roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) traffic. In 2023, Baltimore's container terminals handled 1.1 million TEU and are now isolated. Docked ships are unable to depart, and those scheduled to arrive are being diverted to other ports. Among the docked vessels are bulk carriers and military ships, including the aircraft carrier Carmen, but no container ships.
Update at 10:00 AM - As a result of the container ship's collision, at least seven vehicles, including a tractor-trailer, which were transiting the bridge, fell into the river, carrying about twenty people. Approximately twenty workers were on the bridge at the time of the collapse. After the fire, the ship sank, but the entire crew is safe.
The Dali is operated by Maersk under the 2M alliance in the TP12 service (Empire for MSC) between Asia and the East Coast of the United States.
