FBI Searches Dali Ship in Wake of Baltimore Bridge Collapse
Lump the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in with those wanting to know more about what caused the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore last month.
According to a Monday report from The Washington Post, the bureau has opened a criminal investigation into the March 26 incident, in which the 985-foot Maersk-chartered container ship Dali briefly lost power, veered off course and crashed into one of the bridge’s pillars, collapsing the structure entirely.
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Various reports that followed indicate that the inquiry involves whether the crew knew the ship had potential mechanical problems ahead of the crash. The probe will also examine the events that led up to when the vessel left the Port of Baltimore.
One such Associated Press report Monday said that when the ship was docked in the port, alarms went off on some of its refrigerated containers, an indicator of an inconsistent power supply.
“The FBI is present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court authorized law enforcement activity,” the agency said in a statement Monday, without confirming any details about the investigation.
On Monday, a fourth body was recovered from the collapse site in the Patapsco River. The body was discovered trapped inside a construction vehicle, according to the Unified Command group in charge of recovery. Six construction workers are believed to be dead, with two other victims still missing.
Authorities did not release the person’s identity at the request of family.
Cleanup of the site wreckage is ongoing, with more than 1,000 tons of steel having been removed from the river.
The Port of Baltimore may reopen for full access by the end of May, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is currently shooting to open a limited-access shipping channel by the end of April. Unified Command has already established two temporary, alternate channels for vessels involved in clearing debris.
Replacing the bridge itself is expected to take years.
As the cleanup and investigation both endure, other ports are seemingly handling the diverted cargo with no interruption.
“New rail services are already moving containers between the ports of Baltimore and NY/NJ to assist shippers disrupted by the closure,” said Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos. “Two weeks post the incident, there have been no significant reports of regional road or port congestion as a result of the rerouting. East Coast ocean freight rates have decreased since the port closure in Baltimore, likewise suggesting that regional container traffic has continued to flow.”
On Monday, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey revealed that while its dockworkers typically take 60 to 65 percent of cargo off the boat at its terminals before the vessel travels elsewhere, that range has increased to 70 to 75 percent of total capacity.
The FBI’s investigation would run in parallel to the one opened by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which aims to prevent future accidents.
Investigators from the agency have recovered the Dali’s “black box” recorder, which provides data on its position, speed, heading, radar, and bridge audio and radio communications, as well as alarms.
The NTSB is seeking an explanation for why the vessel lost power while approaching the bridge, according to chair Jennifer Homendy. The agency is examining the cargo ship’s electrical power system, and having called upon engine manufacturer Hyundai to help download data from the engine room related to the power system.
The opening of a criminal investigation means the Coast Guard’s Marine Board of Investigation, which is investigating in parallel to the NTSB, will pause evidence collection, but it will still be able to analyze evidence it has already gathered to inform safety efforts like new regulations or inspection campaigns.
Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott said the city is taking legal steps to “proactively and aggressively” address the impact the Key Bridge collapse has had on residents, including the families of the victims, business owners and longshoremen and other port workers.
Stating that the tragedy has resulted in both “a devastating loss of life,” as well as “significant economic hardship” to local businesses and workers, Scott revealed that the city hired a law firm to take legal action.
In particular, Baltimore plans to hold all entities related to the vessel accountable for the Key Bridge tragedy, including owner Grace Ocean Private Limited, charterer Maersk, manufacturer Hyundai and the boat’s operator Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd., as well as other potentially liable third parties.
Grace Ocean and Synergy filed a court petition soon after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability—a routine procedure for cases litigated under U.S. maritime law. Their joint filing seeks to cap the companies’ liability at roughly $43.7 million.
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