Saturday, March 30, 2024

The Collapse of the Key Bridge was an Accident, here’s why

 Al Ritter


Last Tuesday in the early morning hours the DALI, a South Korean built container ship registered in Singapore, registering some 980 feet in length, 158 feet in width and displacing 148,000 tons rammed into one of the supporting structures of the Francis Scott Key Bridge which virtually sealed the entrance to the second busiest port in America.

While tragic in nature because of the loss of human life, things could have been worse. Had the Transportation Police not closed off the bridge due to a mayday call from the pilots on the ship the loss of life would have been far worse. This is the first indication that this was not an intentional act. If it had been intentional no warning would have been given. Secondly there are far more deadly targets available to terrorists in the Baltimore area. I won’t go into them here because I wouldn’t want to put ideas in their head. I will say however that other bridges would be better targets for a terrorist act.

The Dali hasn’t been on the water long. The keel was laid in October 2014 and finished before that year’s end. Some conspiracy theorists are blaming the accident on outdated navigation equipment which isn’t true because no matter how old the ship there are requirements as to the equipment they all need to have so that point is moot. Some are saying that the fuel was contaminated which to me seems comical at the very least. These types of container ships use HFO (heavy fuel oil.) The viscosity of this oil is so thick, it is said that a man can actually walk on it! It is just two steps in refinement from the oil used in asphalt production. To burn this fuel extreme heaters are needed to melt it down to the viscosity to burn. So as you can see, to claim the fuel could be somehow contaminated is ridiculous.

The DALI is no stranger to accidents in the past either, and not from the same Captains either. She collided with a berth in Antwerp, Belgium in 2016 causing serious damage to her stern and transom.

Some people think that because the “fly by wire” systems in these ships that computer hacking is possible because those systems aren’t encrypted. I am no ship’s engineer but I highly doubt the transmission of commands is done through Wi-Fi but rather hardwiring within the ship thus making the command impervious to outside hacking.

Too many people seem to think that today’s technology is technical perfection. Nothing could be farther from the truth. IMO the more technology you use the more possibilities for failure.

They call these tragedies accidents for a reason. Not everything is cut in stone there can always be equipment failures and not everything is a terrorist attack.

Read about the DALI here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Dali

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2024/03/26/baltimore-bridge-collapse-ship-dali/73105394007/#:~:text=The%20Dali%20is%20a%20984-foot%20container%20vessel%20built,one%20engine%20and%20one%20propeller%2C%20according%20to%20MarineTraffic.com.

Ship's engineer view:


Why no tugs?:


Negligence?:

9 comments:

Billys grand dad said...

People are more willing to jump to conclusions in this day in age because they know that the media and government lie to us constantly and as a result that trust is now gone.

Rockman2023 said...

I agree totally, I'm reminded of an old adage. When you hear hooves, think horses and not zebras. People read too much into not a whole lot about nothing accident plain and simple. I heard one shipping expert that said the reason it veered off to the right is because the ship has only one screw (propeller) and if you force that ship into reverse quickly it can dart in either direction. Other people are saying they saw explosions on the bridge as it was collapsing. They seem to forget that there are electrical connections on the top and bottom of the bridge. Of course they going to short circuit as the bridge falls. All sorts of arm chair quarterbacks in play here!

Turk 182 said...

Just like everything else, people are going to tend to believe only what they WANT to believe not the actual facts. I'd believe that video from an actual ship's engineer before anyone else!

Linda R said...

Don’t you just love the conspiracy crap

Terri o said...

Rahn Emanuel said never let a good disaster go to waste! So the Biden Administration came here to tout their Infrastructure Bill!

Betsyross said...

Trump blame coming in 3,2,1

Patriot in PA said...

There's gonna be enough human error to go around for everyone involved but I highly doubt any of it was intentional

simon "flag shagger" said...

finally!! a voice of reason amongst all the looney conspiracy theorists!!

David R said...

People who say "terrorists" are TROLLS. or idiots.