Dali is a 300-meter container vessel that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
After the ship hit one of the concrete center pylons, the whole bridge collapsed, resulting in fatalities from construction workers that have yet to be confirmed.
Initial reports from eyewitnesses and various sources revealed that the ship blacked out twice before smashing the bridge.
Here are 10 facts known about Dali based on open-source data. You can verify them through the links I posted to them.
Facts about container ship Dali
1. Ship dimensions
Dali is a Neo Panamax container vessel having a Length-overall (LOA) of 299.920 meters, a beam of 48.0 meters, and a draft of 12.2 meters before slamming the bridge.
It has around 135 meters of clearance on its port and starboard side from the two supporting pylons based on the ship’s particulars.
Considering the distance between the central columns of around 325 meters, that should be enough IF EVERYTHING goes well.
2. Flag and Ownership
Dali is a Singaporean-flagged vessel with an IMO number of 9697428.
Its registered owner is Grace Ocean Private Limited, a Singapore-based company that operates 55 different types of ships, including bulk carriers, container ships, LPG carriers, and Chem/Oil Tankers.
Dali’s ship, commercial, and ISM manager is Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd.
3. Previous Accident
In 2016, Dali allided with a quay in Antwerp, Belgium.
The box ship’s stern scraped along the concrete quay after it attempted to leave port bound for Bremerhaven.
4. Twenty minutes from Disaster
Tess than twenty minutes after the last tugboat cast off from the container vessel, Dali lost her steering due to a series of blackouts, which caused her to collide with the bridge.
5. Two Tugboats
Two tugboats assisted Dali before the ship departed from Seagirt Marine Terminal. The tugs left after the ship completed its turn for an outbound passage.
The box ship carried 4,679 TEU out of her maximum capacity of 10,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).
6. Worldwide Trade
Container Vessel Dali trades worldwide and recently entered U.S. ports via the Panama Canal.
Dali’s first port of call in the U.S. is Port Newark, where the vessel arrived last March 19, 2023.
Colombo, Sri Lanka would have been her next port if it hadn’t been for the accident.
7. Port State Control Inspections
Since 2015, Dali has been inspected 27 times by Port State Control (PSC) Officers from different countries and ports worldwide, such as the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Paris MoU, and Vina Del Mar MoU.
The last inspection was by the United Coast Guard on September 19, 2023, while the ship was docked in New York.
There could be more since the data looks insufficient.
8. All Indian Crew and two pilots
The ship was manned by 22 Indian crew with two pilots advising the vessel’s captain.
Vessel owner confirms that all the crew and pilot are safe, with one crew member suffering a minor injury.
Source: Synergy Marine Group
9. Fairly young ship
Built last March 2015, Dali is a nine-year-old container vessel.
This is considered young in the container shipping industry, where the mean age of box ships is 14.2 years old, according to BIMCO.
10. Made in Korea
Dali is a Korean-made vessel built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., LTD. and ordered by Oceanbulk Container Management SA.
The ship’s hull contains 1 Diesel Engine Electric Motor, 2 Stroke Single-Acting Engines, and 9 Cylinders.
It took 5 months to complete after laying its keel on October 10, 2014, and completing its build on March 05, 2015.
Source: Class NK.
May the winds be in your favor.