What was the name of the container ship that struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore?

The vessel responsible for the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26, 2024, was the container ship Dali. This Singapore-flagged cargo vessel, chartered by Maersk, was departing from the Port of Baltimore, bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it experienced a catastrophic loss of power and propulsion.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of the morning, around 1:29 a.m. EDT, as the Dali, a massive ship approximately 984 feet (300 meters) long and capable of carrying nearly 10,000 standard-sized containers, veered off course. The crew, which included two local harbor pilots, managed to issue a Mayday call, alerting authorities to their loss of control and the imminent danger of a collision. This crucial warning allowed Maryland Department of Transportation officials to stop traffic from entering the bridge, undoubtedly saving many lives. However, a construction crew working on the bridge at the time could not be evacuated, resulting in six fatalities.

Investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later determined that the primary cause of the power loss was a loose signal wire connection within the ship's electrical system, leading to multiple electrical issues and ultimately disabling its propulsion and steering. The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a vital transportation artery that saw approximately 30,000 vehicles daily, had significant repercussions, disrupting shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore for months and incurring substantial economic costs. The event also highlighted discussions around the vulnerability of older bridge infrastructure to collisions with modern, larger container ships.