Note: This story has been updated to include AM Best’s initial damage estimate.
A Singapore-flagged container ship, Dali (IMO: 9697428), collided with a pillar of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a large segment to collapse. The incident is expected to result in a substantial P&I claim, with reinsurers likely to bear the bulk of costs, with an early estimate from AM Best suggesting the damage could run into the billions of US dollars.
The incident, which occurred around 1:30 am local time, led numerous vehicles and up to 20 individuals to fall into the Patapsco River, resulting in a widespread emergency response, with reports that six people are still missing as of Wednesday.
According to the International Group of P&I Clubs database, the vessel is insured through Britannia P&I.
However, reinsurers, both through the International Group of P&I Clubs pooling arrangements and general excess-of-loss cover in the open market, are likely to bear the bulk of the insured cost. An initial estimate from AM Best suggests the damage could run into the billions of dollars.
Lloyd’s List reported on Tuesday the ship is managed by Synergy Marine and was operating under Maersk, through a time charter arrangement.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed the incident via a press release on Tuesday evening. According to the MPA, the 95,000 GT container vessel was operating with 22 crew onboard at the time of the incident.
“As the flag state, MPA will provide full cooperation to the US Coast Guard in its investigations. [The] MPA will also be investigating the incident,” the Authority said, adding it was already in contact with the US Coast Guard and ship management company to provide necessary assistance.
Investigations ongoing
The cause of the incident remains under investigation, but the Baltimore Police Commissioner, Richard Worley, played down fears of a terrorist attack. “There is absolutely no indication that there’s any terrorism, that this was done on purpose,” Worley said.
ABC news reported that the ship “lost propulsion” as it was leaving port.
Several videos on YouTube appear to show the vessel experiencing mechanical issues, with the lights on the ship going dark twice before hitting the bridge. Black smoke coming from the stack prior to the collision may also indicate an attempt to slow down.
Skytek data indicates the vessel hit the bridge while travelling at over 7.5 knots, causing a 3km section of the bridge to collapse.
“This is a mass-casualty, multi-agency event,” Kevin Cartwright, a spokesperson for the Baltimore City Fire Department, told Reuters.
“This operation is going to extend for many days.” He added that as many as 20 people could be in the river, along with numerous vehicles and possibly a tractor-trailer.
The collapse may also have significant implications for the Port of Baltimore. According to a Maryland government website, the Port saw 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo in 2023, valued at US$80.bn, including 847,158 cars and light trucks.
