Container Ship Struck Key Bridge in Baltimore, Bridge has Collapsed

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I've been wondering the same thing.  I think they could do one more turnaround in Norfolk before returning to Baltimore since the next cruise visits Greenland which I believe makes it PVSA legal.

 

Roy

I believe Carnival already said passengers wouldn't need passports due to the change, so that tells me they've gotten the waiver.

[BND]

4 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I've been wondering the same thing.  I think they could do one more turnaround in Norfolk before returning to Baltimore since the next cruise visits Greenland which I believe makes it PVSA legal.

 

Roy

Moot point as Carnival has already announced they are departing from Norfolk and returning to Baltimore.  Either they're getting a waiver (very likely) or they're absorbing the cost.  Norfolk has it's own set of logistics and the city obviously knows that the ships are done using it.  The port was reopened specifically for the emergency situation that existed.  It's due to undergo renovations starting in June and reopen in Feb 2025.

[Biker19]

del

Edited May 18 by Biker19

[smokeybandit]

They're going to attempt to move Dali shortly after 5am ET on Monday.

[mo&fran]

Dali is now moving.

[TPKeller]

The move, captured by MarineTraffic.

 

Looks like it took about 2 hours.  I captured the time stamp about half way.  Just a reminder, UTC is +4 hours from Baltimore right now, 4 hours later than here, so according to the track here, the move was from around 7 to 9 AM this morning.  Does that match what people saw?

 

Theron

 

Edited May 20 by TPKeller

[smokeybandit]

Yes. They started the move around 5:30am, but it wasn't until 7 that things really "moved"

[rafinmd]

Vision is home:

 

 

 

Roy

[Biker19]

You can play back the video of her arrival at this Youtube channel for a few hours today:

 

Screen grab as she approaches the site of the bridge collapse

 

Edited May 24 by Biker19

[TPKeller]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

You can play back the video of her arrival at this Youtube channel for a few hours today:

 

If you pull up the video embedded above, you can "back up" to starting around 4:50 AM local time (by the time stamp at the top of the video) to see Vision returning to the port.

 

As noted, this will soon disappear, as the past video is limited.

 

Theron

[TPKeller]

Here's the latest update from the USACE.

 

"Along with the removal of the M/V Dali, salvage crews expanded the Port of Baltimore limited access channel to a width of 400 feet and a depth of 50 feet on May 20, allowing for the transit of all deep-draft commercial vessels calling on the Port of Baltimore."

https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/3787297/us-army-corps-of-engineers-expands-port-of-baltimore-limited-access-channel/

[Another_Critic]

On 3/27/2024 at 3:55 PM, Engineroom Snipe said:

The harbor is going to take at least three months to clear with the most optimistic of projections. I am in agreement with @chengkp75.

 

The contracts have to be defined.

 

The resources needed to clear the harbor must be relocated.

 

The resources of the Armed Services cannot be utilized in most cases without an act of war.

 

The military is not allowed to compete with the private sector in most cases so "bringing in resources from Norfolk from the military is a remote possibility unless sanctioned by Congress."

 

Calculate the amount of tonnage in the water that needs to be cut, lifted, and barged to shore.

 

What happens when it gets to shore?

 

It has to be trucked for salvage or recycle.

 

Each truck might be able to handle 60,000 lbs.

 

Go back to line four, how much tonnage must be removed?

 

When all of this is competed, how much time will it take to complete a precise, meticulous sweep of the channel to ensure that no debris is left behind?

 

Even when the channel is clear, ship traffic will have to coordinate with the effort to clear the remaining bridge materials to facilitate an ultimate rebuilding of the bridge.

 

There are SO many moving parts to this equation.

 

I can bet my house against having all of the above done before June 1st, 2024.

 

The Vision will need other alternatives at that point.

 

Done of lecture and I hope I am wrong and everyone can go back to normal in the Port of Baltimore upon the date of June 1st, 2024.

 

Time to eat your words?  😛

[Engineroom Snipe]

30 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

Time to eat your words?  😛

Absolutely delighted to say I was wrong and will happily eat my words with humility.

 

How would you like me to do so?.

[Another_Critic]

2 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Absolutely delighted to say I was wrong and will happily eat my words with humility.

 

How would you like me to do so?.

 

"I can bet my house against having all of the above done before June 1st, 2024."

 

Looks like you need to deed over your house to all the workers that completed the tasks before  June 1st.  😉

[shipgeeks]

12 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Absolutely delighted to say I was wrong and will happily eat my words with humility.

 

How would you like me to do so?.

ES, I'm just sorry you won't be on the June 13 cruise with us. I think we would enjoy your company.  We'd even treat you to a nice dinner in the MDR.

[chengkp75]

43 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

Time to eat your words?  😛

While it is nice to see cruise ships returning to Baltimore, the channel is not cleared.  They are still using the narrow "limited use" channel with restrictions on under keel clearance, winds, etc for large ships.  Even in the "limited use" channel, the bottom is not 100% cleared.

[Engineroom Snipe]

7 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

"I can bet my house against having all of the above done before June 1st, 2024."

 

Looks like you need to deed over your house to all the workers that completed the tasks before  June 1st.  😉

 

 

@Another_Critic.

 

You need to read all of the posts on this thread, especially post #749, as I have hired some of the best shady lawyers available for just such an occasion......

 

🤣

 

 

[chengkp75]

Pretty disturbing article here in Maritime Executive, where MDOT, USCG, Corps of Engineers, and port authorities were warned 2 decades ago about the danger to the bridge, from a senior Maryland pilot, who persisted for 10 years, until he retired, at which time all discussion of the danger to the bridge from a ship strike stopped.  Reasons for not considering upgrades to the bridge were "high cost".

 

As noted in the article, the Delaware Memorial bridge is undergoing upgrades to the bridge dolphins, started 10 years ago, which will cost $92 million, as opposed to the $2 billion estimated cost to replace the Key bridge.

 

This will make it hard for the various government agencies to try to collect the lion's share of the replacement cost from the shipping companies involved.

 

https://maritime-executive.com/article/senior-maryland-pilot-warned-officials-of-risk-of-bridge-strike-for-years

[BND]

The news right now is showing how much the lack of the Key bridge is impacting Memorial Day weekend traffic.  

[smokeybandit]

7 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Reasons for not considering upgrades to the bridge were "high cost".

Pretty much par for America with major infrastructure projects. 

[TPKeller]

19 minutes ago, BND said:

The news right now is showing how much the lack of the Key bridge is impacting Memorial Day weekend traffic.  

 

I don't follow Baltimore rush hour traffic often enough to know if this is out of the ordinary, but here's a current screen shot of Google Maps traffic.

 

Theron

[TPKeller]

Any locals know if the road to Fort Armistead is actually closed?  (Google maps says that it is.)  That would be a great place to get a few cool shots of Vision leaving this afternoon.

 

Theron

[TPKeller]

44 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

While it is nice to see cruise ships returning to Baltimore, the channel is not cleared.  They are still using the narrow "limited use" channel with restrictions on under keel clearance, winds, etc for large ships.  Even in the "limited use" channel, the bottom is not 100% cleared.

 

From later in the press release I posted above:

 

"To restore the Federal Channel to its original 700-foot width and 50-foot depth, USACE continues to clear wreckage from the riverbed. The continued work involves digging out the bottom cord of the remaining truss and cutting it into three sections to safely lift the wreckage.

 

[...]

 

Only about one-third of this truss is visible above the water as it stretches down to the riverbed and sits buried in the mud line. Based on the latest dive surveys and engineer analyses conducted after precision cutting and refloating the M/V Dali, the work to restore the Federal Channel is projected to conclude between June 8-10. The adjusted timing accounts for the complexity of the cutting and rigging required to lift portions of the large span. It also accounts for safety measures and possible inclement weather potentially impacting ongoing salvage operations."

 

Theron

[Engineroom Snipe]

4 minutes ago, TPKeller said:

 

From later in the press release I posted above:

 

"To restore the Federal Channel to its original 700-foot width and 50-foot depth, USACE continues to clear wreckage from the riverbed. The continued work involves digging out the bottom cord of the remaining truss and cutting it into three sections to safely lift the wreckage.

 

[...]

 

Only about one-third of this truss is visible above the water as it stretches down to the riverbed and sits buried in the mud line. Based on the latest dive surveys and engineer analyses conducted after precision cutting and refloating the M/V Dali, the work to restore the Federal Channel is projected to conclude between June 8-10. The adjusted timing accounts for the complexity of the cutting and rigging required to lift portions of the large span. It also accounts for safety measures and possible inclement weather potentially impacting ongoing salvage operations."

 

Theron

 

Dog gone it!  I paid all of those shady lawyers all of that money as a precaution!

 

Call my accountant and argue for $0.20 on the dollar!

 

 

Glad to see that the Vision of the Seas can make her sailings and things are getting better.

 

Even with all of their projections, the ultimate measure is when insurance companies can be "assured" there are no adverse risks and vessel traffic proceeds without special conditions.

 

That is when things go back to "normal".

 

Very happy to see so much progress in so little time.

 

😁

 

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Pretty disturbing article here in Maritime Executive, where MDOT, USCG, Corps of Engineers, and port authorities were warned 2 decades ago about the danger to the bridge, from a senior Maryland pilot, who persisted for 10 years, until he retired, at which time all discussion of the danger to the bridge from a ship strike stopped.  Reasons for not considering upgrades to the bridge were "high cost".

 

As noted in the article, the Delaware Memorial bridge is undergoing upgrades to the bridge dolphins, started 10 years ago, which will cost $92 million, as opposed to the $2 billion estimated cost to replace the Key bridge.

 

This will make it hard for the various government agencies to try to collect the lion's share of the replacement cost from the shipping companies involved.

 

https://maritime-executive.com/article/senior-maryland-pilot-warned-officials-of-risk-of-bridge-strike-for-years

This could apply to cyber security for water systems and electrical grids as well as the coastal routes for ships. I could find fault with just about every single system that has been hacked over the last twenty years in need of infrastructure improvement (servers with updated operating systems and firewalls). There is no funding available for prevention but almost unlimited funding trying to restore services after a severe incident. 

 

So many identified weaknesses in need of funding.

 

The question ends up as what are the highest priorities?

 

The latest to fail gets headlines and publicity but it does not change the final equation.

 

What are we willing to remedy with taxpayers dollars?

 

"Am I willing to be taxed or charged a fee for the necessary improvements?"

 

Everyone agrees that improvements need to be made and everyone agrees that someone else needs to pay for it.

 

NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) evolves into LMWA (Leave My Wallet Alone).

 

I cannot count the amount of people who begged me at any cost to restore a system after they have been hacked. I offered to design an encrypted back-up system previous to the incident to be told that monies were not available.

 

Similar to this situation, spending millions would be saving billions.

 

Your comments strike home.

 

 

Edited May 24 by Engineroom Snipe
grammer, darn it