Catastrophic Collision: The Tragedy of the M/V DALI’s Bridge Collapse
In the early hours of March 26th, 2024, disaster struck the Port of Baltimore. The M/V DALI, a large 300-meter-long container ship, was sailing out of the port when a sudden calamity unfolded. At just past 1:30 a.m., the lights on the ship abruptly blinked out, only to flicker back moments later. The ship began to veer sharply to starboard, heading straight toward one of the massive pylons supporting the iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Within seconds, the M/V DALI’s lights failed again, and again. The darkness was shattered by the sickening impact as the ship’s bow slammed into the bridge’s support. The bridge, which spanned the Patapsco River since 1977, crumpled under the force. Large sections of the central truss disintegrated, crashing down into the river below in less than 20 seconds.
A National Tragedy
The repercussions were immediate and devastating. The collapse blocked a critical artery for Baltimore’s road traffic and one of the United States’ major ports. President Biden quickly addressed the nation, calling it a “terrible accident,” as rescue teams scoured the area for survivors.
Anatomy of a Collapse
“It’s a dreadful tragedy and something you hope never to see,” remarked David Knight, a bridge expert with the UK’s Institution of Civil Engineers. Reviewing footage of the collapse, Knight noted the bridge’s behavior was consistent with its design vulnerabilities. The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a continuous truss structure with a 366-meter-long central span, relied heavily on its pylons for stability. When one support was compromised, the entire span crumbled like a house of cards.
Despite its age, the bridge’s condition was deemed satisfactory during inspections as recently as June 2023. Structural reinforcements like hydraulic barriers and fortified pylons—common in newer bridges—were absent from this older design. Yet even with such measures, Knight warned, “a ship of this size striking a support with immense force would still cause catastrophic damage.”
The Mystery of the M/V DALI
Why did the M/V DALI, a modern Singapore-flagged vessel built in 2015, veer so disastrously off course? Initial reports have revealed a chain of mechanical and navigational failures. According to investigators, the M/V DALI “lost propulsion” moments before the crash, leaving its crew unable to steer and control its trajectory. Video footage showed smoke pouring from the ship’s stack, highly suggestive of an engine failure.
“These ships require immense power and significant time to halt their momentum,” maritime historian and former merchant mariner Salvatore Mercogliano explained.
The ship’s automatic identification system (AIS) data shows that it slowed from 8.5 knots to 6 knots in the moments leading up to the impact, suggesting a desperate attempt to mitigate the collision.
Onboard, two local pilots—highly skilled mariners who guide ships through complex waterways—were working alongside the ship’s crew. A mayday call from the vessel moments before impact warned authorities, allowing them to halt road traffic on the bridge and very likely saving many lives. The anchor was also dropped in an apparent effort to slow the ship, but the efforts came too late to avoid catastrophe. The lives of six construction workers on the bridge were lost as a result of the collision.
Photographs of the aftermath showed the M/V DALI’s bow wedged beneath fallen bridge sections, her anchor chain stretched at an angle that suggests it had dragged briefly before the crash. Investigators are combing through the ship’s voyage data recorder—the maritime equivalent of a black box—to reconstruct the events leading to the collision. This device will help provide crucial insights into the ship’s engine status, steering inputs, and audio recordings from the bridge.
Preliminary reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggest that the generators were improperly wired and maintained, leading to multiple blackouts and a total loss of steering capability.
Post-collision, the Port of Baltimore’s operations ground to a halt. Over a dozen commercial vessels were forced to anchor outside the port, unable to enter due to the bridge debris blocking the channel. Clearing the wreckage is ongoing and will require extensive effort from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The economic impact was substantial, as the port’s key role in U.S. car imports and coal exports was severely compromised.
The M/V DALI Key Bridge collapse reminds us how fragile the infrastructure of the industry is, and the razor-thin margins in modern maritime operations. “We move goods faster and in greater volumes than ever before,” Mercogliano observed.
“When mistakes happen, their scale can be monumental.”
As cleanup operations continue, questions about the state of America’s aging infrastructure and maritime safety become apparent. Could more robust defenses have prevented this disaster? And how can future tragedies be averted in an era of increasing shipping volumes and larger vessels?
The state of Maryland, which has estimated that it will cost $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion to rebuild the bridge and anticipates completion by fall 2028, filed claims against the companies for the cost of the bridge, cleanup efforts, environmental claims, and other costs. Recently, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced that Singapore firms Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, the owners and operators of the vessel, will pay nearly $102 million to settle the claim for costs related to damage to the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The shipping companies also face additional claims from the families of those killed, workers affected by the port shutdown, Baltimore City and County, insurance companies, and the long list of affected businesses.
However, the final days to file cargo claims related to the M/V DALI incident are quickly approaching— it’s crucial for any potential claimants to understand the urgency and process of securing compensation. The shipping industry is a complex network, and incidents like the M/V DALI Key Bridge collision cause significant delays, financial losses, and other impacts for all those involved.
Our firm represents one of the hundreds of owners of the hundreds or cargo containers aboard the ship,and have filed claims on their behalf. However, the final date for filing all claims related to the M/V DALI is November 22nd. However, in order for us to gather and prepare all necessary documentation, it is critical that we receive all documents are received no later than November 18th. This represents our hard deadline to allow adequate time for processing, and any delay beyond this could result in missed opportunities for compensation.
Interested in Filing a Cargo Claim?
If your cargo was aboard the M/V DALI and you’re facing losses, now is the time to reach out! Time is of the essence—failure to file by November 18th means that claims cannot be considered before the final court-imposed filing deadline.
We are equipped as maritime lawyers to advocate for cargo claims in this matter. Don’t delay if you think you might have a claim. You may contact us at 713-955-3699 or at ww.herdlawfirm.com today to secure your rights before it’s too late!
11/13/2024
