Cargo ship that collapsed Baltimore bridge moved from collision site
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Tug boats maneuver the damaged container ship Dali through the Port of Baltimore on May 20. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The cargo ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March was refloated and moved from the site of the crash early Monday morning.
Why it matters: Nearly two months after the deadly collision, moving the Dali marks a critical step towards the full reopening of Port of Baltimore.
- The catastrophic bridge collapse killed six construction workers and snarled shipping and traffic in one of the U.S.' busiest ports.
Driving the news: Crews began hauling the ship away at about 7am ET towards a local marine terminal, the Key Bridge Response Unified Command said in a press release Monday.
- "The Unified Command's operational priorities are ensuring the safety of the public and first responders, safely restoring the marine transportation system and commerce, protecting the environment, and supporting the investigation," the press release added.
- The Dali's removal came after crews set off a series of controlled explosions earlier this month to free the ship from a portion of the bridge wreckage that was pinning it down.
Zoom in: The Dali's crew — made up of 20 Indians and one Sri Lankan — have been stuck aboard the ship for weeks, CNN reported.
- Both domestic and international maritime regulations establish minimum standards for the manning of vessels, even if a ship is not moving, per CNN.
- Crew members have also been unable to disembark because they lacked the required visas and shore passes, the BBC reported. Also complicating matters are the ongoing investigations into the bridge collapse.
- Two unions representing the crew members expressed their "deep concern about the potential criminalisation of seafarers" on the Dali in a statement earlier this month.
State of play: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that the federal shipping channel in the Port of Baltimore will reopen by the end of May, beating estimates that it could take six to nine months.
- Last month, the first cargo ship passed through the city's newly opened deep-water channel after the collapse left it stranded for a month.
- The bridge collapse remains under investigation. The city of Baltimore in April accused the Dali's owner and operator of negligence.
- The Dali had lost power the day before the collision, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
In Photos
Editor's note: This story has been updated with details about the Dali's crew.
