Preliminary report reveals power problems on the ship before and after the accident

  • The cargo ship Dali lost power multiple times before crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
  • Power outages were caused by a crew member closing an engine exhaust damper and insufficient fuel pressure for a generator.
  • The ship lost power again after two breakers opened unexpectedly, leading to another blackout.
  • The crash resulted in the collapse of the bridge and the death of six road crew workers.
  • The crew of the Dali attempted to restore power but was unable to regain propulsion before the collision.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed that the cargo ship Dali experienced power outages before crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The ship lost electricity multiple times, both before and after leaving the Port of Baltimore. The first blackout occurred when a crew member mistakenly closed an engine exhaust damper, causing the engine to stall. Another outage was caused by insufficient fuel pressure for a generator. After leaving port, the ship experienced two unexpected breaker openings, resulting in another blackout. The crash led to the collapse of the bridge and the death of six road crew workers. The crew of the Dali attempted to restore power, but they were unable to regain propulsion before the collision.

Factuality Level: 3
Factuality Justification: The article provides a detailed account of the events leading to the Baltimore bridge collapse, citing a National Transportation Safety Board report. However, the article contains unnecessary details such as the ship’s journey to Sri Lanka and information about the ship’s construction, which are tangential to the main topic. The article also includes some repetitive information and lacks critical analysis of the causes of the incident.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides a detailed account of the events leading to the Baltimore bridge collapse, including the electrical outages on the Dali containership. It includes information on maintenance errors, crew actions, and fuel testing. However, the article contains some repetitive information and unnecessary details that do not significantly contribute to the overall understanding of the incident.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has largely shut down the busy Port of Baltimore, impacting shipping and trade activities in the region.
Presence Of Extreme Event: Yes
Nature Of Extreme Event: Infrastructure Collapse
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Major
Rating Justification: The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge resulted in the death of six road crew workers, significant damage to infrastructure, and the disruption of trade activities at the Port of Baltimore.
Private Companies: Grace Ocean Private,Synergy Marine Group
Key People: Scott Calvert (Writer), Costas Paris (Writer), Paul Berger (Writer), Andrew Tangel (Contributor)

Reported publicly: www.wsj.com