Not the first accident with the Dali: this is what is known about the ship from Baltimore

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The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the American city of Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after it was rammed by a large ship. Blick explains what is known about the ship and the bridge.

The cargo ship Dali flew the flag of Singapore and is almost 300 meters long and 48 meters wide, according to VesselFinder. As it entered the Francis Scott Key Bridge, it made its way to Colombo, Sri Lanka – a journey of about 27 days that came to an abrupt end.

Not the first accident

An inspection of the Dali in a Chilean port last year found the ship was deficient in “propulsion and auxiliary machinery.” The inspection, conducted June 27 at the Port of San Antonio, said the defect involved the gauges and thermometers. According to a database maintained by Equasis, the Dali has conducted 27 inspections since 2015.

The ship is 9 years old and was involved in its first accident in 2016, just a year after its inauguration: at that time the Dali collided with the harbor wall in Antwerp, Belgium, as “ABC News” reports. At that time a damaged hull was recorded affecting seaworthiness.

Although the ship is owned by Singapore-based Grace Ocean, it is managed by Synergy Group. The Dali was chartered for the fateful voyage by the Danish container logistics company Maersk.

The ship left the Port of Baltimore, the second largest port in the Mid-Atlantic – the rammed bridge was being renovated but was open to traffic.

The bridge served as a transport route for dangerous goods

About 30,000 vehicles, including many trucks carrying dangerous or toxic goods, used the Francis Scott Key Bridge route daily. It is named after the lyricist of the American national anthem ‘Star Spangled Banner’.

Construction began in 1972, but did not open until March 23, 1977. The cost of the approximately 2.5 kilometer long bridge was approximately $60.3 million.

Source: Blick