The cargo ship Dali finally left Baltimore for Virginia after nearly three months since losing power and crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The 984-foot Dali began its journey with the help of four tugboats, moving out of Baltimore shortly before 8:30 a.m. The ship had a full crew of 22 members and six salvage experts on board, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
During the voyage, the Coast Guard is supervising the Dali and maintaining a 500-yard safety zone around the ship. The vessel is headed to Virginia International Gateway to offload around 1,500 cargo containers to reduce draft. After that, it will continue its journey to Norfolk International Terminal for further salvage and repairs due to the damage caused by the bridge collapse.
The incident occurred when the Dali lost power and propulsion shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore on March 26, leading to a collision with one of the bridge’s supporting columns, resulting in the tragic deaths of six construction workers. The ship was stuck in the wreckage for almost two months before being refloated on May 20.
Investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the ship had experienced two power outages before departing from the port. The FBI has also launched a criminal investigation into the incident. Last week, crew members of the Dali were allowed to return home under an agreement confirmed by a federal judge, after being unable to leave the U.S. since the crash. However, they are required to be available for depositions as part of the agreement.
The collapse of the bridge has had a significant impact on the local economy, affecting thousands of longshoremen, truckers, and small business owners. In response, officials have been working to reopen the port and restore its traffic to normal capacity to alleviate the economic repercussions.
Efforts to rebuild the bridge are underway, with officials aiming to have it reconstructed by 2028. Earlier this month, the Fort McHenry federal channel was reopened after the removal of wreckage from the channel, marking a step forward in the recovery process following the bridge collapse.
