The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sailfish prepares to escort the MV Dali during its transit from the Port of Baltimore to the Port of Virginia in Norfolk on Monday, June 24, 2024.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Bokum/US Coast Guard/AP
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Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Bokum/US Coast Guard/AP
The freighter Dali left Baltimore for Virginia on Monday, nearly three months after losing power and crashing into one of the support columns of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge to collapse.
The 984-foot-long Dali began moving shortly before 8:30 a.m. with four tugboats.
The Dali was sailing under its own power with a full crew of 22 and six rescue experts, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.
The Coast Guard supervises the voyage and ensures a 500 meter safety zone around the Dali during its journey.
The Dali is expected to go directly to Virginia International Gateway to unload about 1,500 cargo containers to reduce draft, the Coast Guard said. The ship is then expected to travel further to the Norfolk International Terminal, where it is expected to continue to be salvaged and repaired following damage caused during the bridge collapse.
Shortly after leaving Baltimore Harbor early on March 26, the ship lost power and propulsion and crashed into one of the bridge’s support columns, killing six construction workers.
On May 20, the Dali was refloated and returned to port. The ship had been stuck amid the wreckage for nearly two months, with a huge steel truss draped over its damaged bow.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that the ship experienced two power outages in the hours before leaving Baltimore Port. Moments before the bridge collapsed, it lost power again and veered off course. The agency is still investigating the causes of the power outages.
In an update to its May investigation report, the NTSB said Monday that investigators conducted in-person interviews with the Dali’s crew.
The update says investigators removed an electrical component known as a terminal block, as well as two pieces of control wiring associated with the terminal block.
“We continue to examine the removed components at the NTSB Materials Laboratory,” the board said. “We will continue to evaluate the design and operation of the vessel’s electrical power distribution system and investigate all aspects of the accident to determine the probable cause and identify potential safety recommendations.”
Last week, under an agreement upheld by a federal judge, some members of the Dali crew were allowed to return home. Of the 10 people allowed to leave, eight did so, said Darrell Wilson, a spokesman for the ship’s manager Synergy Marine. In total, about two dozen sailors are from India and Sri Lanka.
Under the agreement, crew members returning home must be available for depositions.
Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners saw their jobs affected by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to capacity normal in the hope of mitigating economic knock-on effects.
Earlier this month, officials announced the reopening of the Fort McHenry Federal Canal, after clearing the 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep canal wreck.
Monday was also Maryland’s deadline for submitting proposals to rebuild the bridge. Procurement regulations prohibit the state from providing information on proposals until a contract award has been made and the state has announced the composition of the design-build team. The state estimates the award and announcement will occur in mid to late summer.
Officials have said they hope to rebuild the bridge by 2028.
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