With tugs by its side the Dali, this year’s most infamous ship, finally left Baltimore yesterday, some three months after it smashed into the city’s largest bridge.
The ship will transit to Virginia International Gateway to offload approximately 1,500 containers to reduce draft, before moving to Norfolk International Terminal for repairs.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an update regarding its investigation into the loss of power onboard the containership and its subsequent allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, an accident that cost the lives of six men working on the bridge on March 26.
Preliminary findings released in May revealed that during Dali’s departure from the Seagirt Marine Terminal, electrical breakers HR1 and LR1 unexpectedly tripped when the ship was about three lengths away from the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This resulted in a total blackout, affecting the ship’s lighting and most equipment.
While inspecting and testing the ship’s electrical power distribution system, NTSB investigators discovered an interruption in the control circuit for HR1’s undervoltage release, an electrical component designed to open a breaker when voltage drops below certain thresholds.
The NTSB has removed an insulated component that connects wires, called a terminal block, for testing in its materials lab.
On the voyage yesterday, just four of the 21 crewmembers who were on the ship when it ran into difficulty on March 26 joined the Dali’s replacement crew. Eight other members of the original crew recently arrived back at home in India, with two others on their way. Other crewmembers recently departed the Dali for temporary lodging in Baltimore where they have to remain for now as investigations – including by the FBI – continue.
All vehicles were barred from the giant Chesapeake Bay Bridge as the Dali transited yesterday with helicopters overhead capturing the voyage for rolling news channels.
News Source – https://splash247.com/dali-leaves-baltimore-for-repairs/
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