The Key Bridge in Baltimore has been hit by cargo ships twice in its history, with the most recent incident occurring on Tuesday when the massive cargo ship Dali lost control and slammed into the bridge. This was not the first time the bridge had been struck by a vessel, as the Blue Nagoya also hit it in 1980.
The Blue Nagoya drifted into a pier supporting the Key Bridge after losing control about 1,800 feet away, causing damage to the protective concrete but not toppling the structure. The similarities between the two incidents raise questions about what went wrong this time.
Both ships were traveling at similar speeds, with the Blue Nagoya moving at six knots and the Dali at just under seven knots when they collided with the bridge. Structural engineers have noted that no bridge could withstand a direct hit from a cargo ship weighing 95,000 tons like the Dali.
The lack of protective barriers on the Key Bridge has also been highlighted as a potential factor in the collision. Impact protection devices have been common in the industry since a similar incident in Tampa Bay in 1980, but the Key Bridge was built in 1977 before these safety measures were widely implemented.
Experts have pointed out that the size and weight of cargo vessels have significantly increased since the 1970s, making them more dangerous to bridges. Vessels weighing up to 100,000 tons can have a catastrophic effect on piers if there is a lack of protection against impact.
The investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing, with structural engineers and researchers looking for lessons to be learned from the incident. The accident serves as a reminder of the changing landscape of shipping traffic and the need for updated safety measures to protect bridge support structures.
