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It looks like the big ship that bumped into the bridge has been pinpointed by the U.S. Coast Guard. Turns out, it's a whopping 948-foot-long container ship flying the flag of Singapore and leased by Maersk. But here's the kicker - there were no Maersk folks on board, according to the company. Now, according to shipping records, this ship is being handled by Synergy Marine Group. They've mentioned that all 22 personnel aboard, including two pilots, are safe and sound. So, at least we know everyone's alright in the end, despite the whole ordeal!
This vessel flying the Singapore flag goes by the call sign 9V5283 and has the MMSI number 563004200. It's what we call a container ship, built back in 2015. It's been chugging along in service since July 19, 2016. It goes by the name DALI. It's powered by a MAN B&W diesel engine, specifically the 9S90ME-C9 model. With a single engine cranking out 41,480 kilowatts or roughly 56,396 horsepower, this beast can reach a speed of about 22 knots.
In terms of size, the ship stands tall at 299.94 meters (or roughly 984 feet). In contrast, the Key Bridge has a main span of 1,200 feet and a total length of 1.6 miles. So, if we're looking at sheer size, the ship could easily tower over the bridge if it were standing upright. The ship is quite the heavyweight with a deadweight of 117,158 metric tons. In comparison, the Key Bridge weighs in at about 37,000 tons. So, if we're talking about a collision, it's like pitting a sumo wrestler against a sprinter in a wrestling match.
Now, in terms of impact, the ship's massive weight and speed could cause significant damage to the bridge's pillars in a collision. When a large vessel like the Singapore-flagged container ship collides with a bridge pillar, the force of the impact can be immense due to the ship's considerable weight and speed. This force can cause significant structural damage to the bridge pillar, compromising its ability to support the weight of the bridge deck above.
Additionally, bridges are designed to distribute loads evenly across their support structures. A sudden and concentrated force from a collision can exceed the bridge's design capacity, leading to structural failure. Furthermore, the material composition of the bridge and the construction methods used play crucial roles in determining its resilience to impact.
I've just received some concerning news, it seems that six individuals are presumed to have lost their lives in this incident. After the cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. This collision caused the portion of the bridge to collapse, and unfortunately, there were workers who were on the bridge at the time who are currently unaccounted for.
In this tragic event. The ship involved in the collision, named the Dali, encountered a significant issue with its propulsion system shortly after departing from port. Imagine this like the engine of your car suddenly failing while you're driving. In this case, the ship experienced a complete blackout, meaning it lost both engine and electrical power. This blackout occurred around 1:20 am, just minutes before the collision. Despite the loss of power, emergency backup systems kicked in, restoring some electrical functions but not the ship's main propulsion. So, while the lights on the ship may have come back on temporarily, the ability to control its movement was still compromised. The crew aboard the ship took immediate action to try to prevent a more severe disaster. They attempted to steer the ship away from the bridge and even dropped the anchor to help stabilize it. Additionally, they alerted authorities to shut down the bridge, which likely helped prevent further damage or casualties.