Ship Lost Power Before Hitting Key Bridge in Baltimore

What is Going on With Shipping?
26 Mar 202406:40

Summary

TLDRAn incident at the Port of Baltimore involving the motor vessel Dolly resulted in a dramatic loss of power and control, leading to a serious collision with a bridge pylon. The video script describes the ship's sudden darkness, belching of black smoke, and the subsequent drift towards the bridge, highlighting the potential for a major disaster. The situation appears to be a mechanical failure, with the ship's route and the companies involved remaining unclear. The incident raises concerns about maritime safety and bridge infrastructure.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿšข Incident at Port of Baltimore: The motor vessel Dolly experienced an incident outbound from Baltimore, which was captured on video.
  • ๐Ÿ“น Video Analysis: The video shows the ship going dark suddenly, indicating a loss of power, and then later regains power but also starts emitting black smoke, suggesting an engine problem.
  • ๐Ÿ– Mechanical Issue: The incident appears to be a mechanical issue as the ship lost power, causing it to lose control and proceed without propulsion or rudder control.
  • ๐Ÿ›ณ Ship's Path: The Dolly was on a course out of the channel, but due to the power loss and engine issues, it began to veer off course, crossing from the north side to the south side of the channel.
  • ๐ŸŒ Bridge Collision: The ship eventually sideswiped a bridge pylon, causing a significant disaster, potentially the worst since the Tampa incident in the 1980s.
  • ๐Ÿš Emergency Measures: The crew attempted to mitigate the situation by dropping the port side anchor, but it was insufficient to stop the ship's forward momentum.
  • ๐ŸŒ Ship's Origin and Destination: The Dolly, a Singapore-flagged and registered ship, was heading from Baltimore to Colombo, passing through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific.
  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€โœˆ๏ธ Pilot and Master: There was a Chesapeake Bay pilot on board to advise the ship's master, indicating that the incident was not due to pilot error or distraction as seen in previous cases.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Power Fluctuations: The script suggests that the ship may have lost power more than once, as it was difficult to discern from the video, but this loss of power was a critical factor in the incident.
  • ๐Ÿ“ข Updates to Follow: The speaker intends to provide further updates as more information becomes available, indicating that the situation is still developing and being assessed.

Q & A

  • What incident occurred at the Port of Baltimore?

    -An incident occurred involving the motor vessel Dolly, which went dark and lost power while outbound from Baltimore, leading to a loss of control.

  • What is the significance of the ship going dark?

    -The ship going dark signifies a loss of power, which resulted in the vessel losing its propulsion and control, leading to a potential maritime disaster.

  • What happened when the ship lost power?

    -Upon losing power, the ship lost its rudder and propulsion, causing it to coast without control and eventually veer out of the channel.

  • What did the crew do in response to the power loss?

    -The crew attempted to regain power, backed down the ship, and dropped the port side anchor to try to stop the vessel's forward movement.

  • Why was the ship's movement particularly dangerous?

    -The ship's movement was dangerous because it led to it crossing from the north side to the south side of the channel and eventually out of the channel entirely, risking collision with infrastructure such as bridge pylons.

  • What was the intended destination of the ship?

    -The ship was heading from Baltimore to Colombo, with plans to cross the Panama Canal and head across the Pacific.

  • What is the potential impact of the ship hitting a bridge pylon?

    -Hitting a bridge pylon could lead to the collapse of the bridge, causing a major disaster similar to the one in Tampa in the 1980s.

  • Who was in command of the ship during the incident?

    -The ship's Master was in command, with a Chesapeake Bay pilot on board to advise.

  • How does this incident compare to previous maritime incidents?

    -This incident is particularly concerning due to the potential for a major bridge collapse, which would be one of the worst bridge disasters in the United States since the 1980s.

  • What is the current status of the ship?

    -The script does not provide the final outcome of the incident, only a preliminary assessment based on the available video footage and information at the time of the discussion.

  • Are there any follow-up actions planned regarding this incident?

    -Further updates are expected as more information becomes available and the situation develops.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿšข Incident at Port of Baltimore

The paragraph discusses an incident involving the motor vessel Dolly at the Port of Baltimore. The ship experienced a sudden loss of power, causing it to go dark and lose control while outbound from the port. The speaker attempts to clarify misinformation and provides a detailed account of the ship's movements based on a video from the port. The ship's loss of power and subsequent coasting is highlighted, along with the crew's attempts to regain control and the dropping of the port anchor. The speaker also speculates on potential causes for the power loss and the severity of the situation, noting the ship's Singapore registration and its intended route to Colombo via the Panama Canal and the Pacific.

05:00

๐Ÿ’ฅ Vessel Collision with Bridge Pylon

This paragraph continues the analysis of the Dolly incident, focusing on the ship's collision with a bridge pylon after losing power. The speaker describes the ship's trajectory, noting the release of the port anchor which failed to stop the vessel. The paragraph details the catastrophic consequences of the collision, emphasizing the potential for bridge collapse and the historical significance of such a disaster. The speaker also discusses the roles of the ship's master and the Chesapeake Bay pilot, dismissing the possibility of pilot distraction as a factor in the incident. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the ongoing investigation and a promise of further updates as more information becomes available.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กChipping Salmer

Chipping Salmer is presumably a name or a term used in the context of the incident discussed in the video. It is not a standard term in maritime or technical language, and its specific meaning in this context is unclear without additional information. It might be a proper noun related to the event or a person involved.

๐Ÿ’กPort of Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore is a significant seaport located in Maryland, USA, known for its crucial role in the transportation and trade industry. In the context of the video, it is the location where the incident involving the motor vessel Dolly occurred.

๐Ÿ’กMotor Vessel Dolly

Motor Vessel Dolly refers to the specific ship involved in the incident at the Port of Baltimore. The term 'motor vessel' is a general designation for a ship or boat that is powered by an engine, as opposed to being sail-powered.

๐Ÿ’กOutbound

In the context of the video, 'outbound' refers to the direction in which the motor vessel Dolly was traveling, indicating that it was leaving the Port of Baltimore. This term is commonly used in transportation and logistics to describe goods or vehicles that are departing from a particular location.

๐Ÿ’กShip Went Dark

The phrase 'ship went dark' is used to describe a situation where a ship loses all its lighting and power, making it difficult or impossible to see from a distance. This can be a sign of a serious problem, such as a mechanical failure or an emergency situation.

๐Ÿ’กMechanical Issue

A mechanical issue refers to a problem with the machinery or equipment on board a ship, which can lead to malfunctions or a loss of control. In the context of the video, it is suggested that the motor vessel Dolly experienced a mechanical issue that caused it to lose power and control.

๐Ÿ’กRudder

A rudder is a flat piece of material, usually metal, hinged at the stern of a ship, used for steering. It is a critical component of a vessel's ability to navigate and maintain course. In the video, the loss of power raises questions about whether the ship also lost its rudder function, which would significantly impact its ability to control its movement.

๐Ÿ’กPropulsion

Propulsion refers to the generation of a force that moves a vessel through the water. It is typically achieved through engines or motors that drive propellers. In the context of the video, the loss of propulsion would mean the ship is unable to move under its own power, which is a serious situation for any vessel.

๐Ÿ’กBlack Smoke

Black smoke is a term used to describe thick, dark smoke that often indicates a problem with combustion, such as in an engine. In the context of the video, the observation of black smoke coming out of the ship's port funnel suggests an engine problem, which could be related to the mechanical issue that caused the power loss.

๐Ÿ’กAnchor

An anchor is a device used to moor a vessel, keep it stationary, or slow it down. In the video, the dropping of the port side anchor is mentioned as a measure to try to stop or slow the ship's movement after it lost power and control.

๐Ÿ’กBridge Pylon

A bridge pylon is a structural support column for a bridge. It is a critical component that, if damaged or destroyed, can lead to the collapse of the bridge. In the video, the ship's path after losing control takes it towards the bridge pylons, highlighting the potential for a catastrophic event.

Highlights

Incident in the Port of Baltimore involving the motor vessel Dolly.

The ship Dolly went dark, indicating a loss of power.

The vessel was outbound from Baltimore when the incident occurred.

The ship's loss of power is believed to be due to a mechanical issue.

The ship was turning around the channel when it lost power.

After power loss, the ship was coasting without control.

The ship's power was restored momentarily before going dark again.

Black smoke was observed coming from the port funnel, indicating an engine problem.

The vessel may have tried to stop by backing down, causing it to careen.

The ship started veering out of the channel after losing power.

The port side anchor was dropped in an attempt to stop the ship.

The ship Dolly is Singapore flagged and leased by larger operating companies.

The ship was heading from Baltimore to Columbo, passing through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific.

The incident could result in a bridge disaster, the worst since the Tampa incident in the 1980s.

The ship's route and the company it was servicing are not specified.

The ship would have been under the command of the ship's Master and a Chesapeake Bay pilot.

The incident appears to be a mechanical issue rather than a case of pilot distraction.

The ship's loss of power led to it hitting a bridge pylon, causing a significant disaster.

Transcripts

00:01

hey what's going on with chipping salmer

00:03

kagano here this morning so we've had an

00:05

incident in the Port of Baltimore

00:06

involving the motor vessel Dolly

00:09

outbound from Baltimore I am just

00:12

beginning to process the information and

00:14

take a look at it but I want to clarify

00:16

something that I've been seeing that

00:17

needs to be done this is the video

00:19

coming from the Port of Baltimore I'm

00:20

going to go ahead and live stream it uh

00:23

or replay it this is Dolly coming out

00:25

notice the ship just went dark I'm going

00:28

to come back here for a second

00:30

go back here a second take you back

00:32

about 10 seconds here so she would have

00:34

came off the birth at dundock here and

00:36

if you play back this video you'll see

00:39

that the ship is is outbound turning

00:40

around the channel comes off to the uh

00:43

comes off of dundock right here goes out

00:45

the channel spins around and it's coming

00:48

out now let's be clear this is obviously

00:50

the e exit out this is where she wants

00:52

to come out go ahead and play it again

00:54

here she is coming out you'll see lights

00:56

along her side you'll see lights right

00:58

here that red light in the back is not

01:00

her but she goes dark all of a sudden so

01:02

now the ship is dark you are not having

01:05

any power on this vessel uh the ship has

01:08

basically dropped the plant so when I

01:11

initially heard about this happening

01:13

there was a lot of questions about was

01:15

this mechanical or is this human this is

01:17

obviously a mechan mechanical issue in

01:19

that they lost power we're not sure why

01:22

she lost power so here she is she is

01:25

basically coasting at this point without

01:28

any control now if she had lost power

01:30

does that mean she lost her Rudder uh

01:33

did she lost uh propulsion and the

01:36

vessel was in the channel on the

01:37

outbound leg she was coming out and you

01:41

see her still kind of moving here very

01:44

slowly down on the channel uh traffic up

01:47

on the bridge is moving along and the

01:50

ship is just progressing slowly down the

01:55

channel so ship's still moving at this

01:57

time and then we see the power come back

01:59

on so you see the lights come back on so

02:01

she is able to get power back on at this

02:06

moment sorry it's buffering here so you

02:09

got power now coming back on she once

02:12

again should have propulsion she should

02:13

be making weight now when you lose power

02:15

on a ship is the worst feeling in the

02:17

world everything goes quiet goes dark

02:20

now you start seeing black smoke coming

02:22

out of the port funnel so she is beling

02:25

black smoke at this time you can see it

02:27

coming out right here so this indicates

02:30

obviously an engine problem now what are

02:33

they doing at this point they may be

02:34

backing down at this moment trying to

02:37

stop uh their forward progress now the

02:40

problem with backing down on a ship is

02:42

that is single prop and what's going to

02:45

happen is when you try to back down the

02:47

ship is going to start careening it's

02:49

going to start kind of pitching around

02:51

and what happens here based on the track

02:53

line that I saw on marine traffic is the

02:56

ship starts to go across the channel she

02:58

was basically in the middle of the

03:00

channel coming out right down in the

03:02

middle and now she's kening toward the

03:04

right side notice more black smoke

03:07

coming out I saw a helicopter image this

03:10

morning that showed that the port side

03:12

anchor had been dropped so what you

03:14

would want to do is try to arrest the

03:16

forward Mo movement of the vessel the

03:19

problem with this whole scenario is

03:21

this if you start backing down on the

03:23

ship it's going to start twisting uh if

03:26

you just kept the ship going stop the

03:29

propeller and use the rudder you would

03:31

have some control but now the vessel is

03:33

starting to Veer out of the channel and

03:36

this is what we see the ship starts

03:37

Crossing from the north side of the

03:39

channel to the south side of the channel

03:41

and then eventually out of the channel

03:43

entirely and at the speed she's going uh

03:47

she is not able to stop her forward

03:55

progress so see the black smoke still

03:58

coming out of the the ship at this time

04:01

uh the ship now is coming out of the

04:03

channel entirely she would not have tugs

04:05

on her she would have had tugs to take

04:07

her off the birth at dundock but not

04:10

once she was underway and had propulsion

04:14

uh this ship Singapore flag Singapore

04:16

registered company uh dolly is one of

04:19

these ships that basically is leased by

04:21

the larger operating companies uh so

04:23

we're not exactly sure whose route she

04:25

was on what company she was servicing

04:28

she was out of Baltimore heading to

04:30

Columbo so she was heading down to the

04:32

Panama Canal and she was going to be

04:34

heading across the Pacific at this point

04:37

she is heading right for the pylons and

04:40

understand once you take out a pylon on

04:42

a bridge that's it these bridges are

04:44

designed to rest on top of that pylon

04:46

she's going to sideswipe it this is

04:48

going to be the worst kind of bridge

04:49

disaster in the United States since

04:52

Tampa back in the

04:55

1980s and even if you drop the anchors

04:57

which we know she drops the port anchor

05:00

according looking at the image from

05:02

helicopters the port anchor was not just

05:03

dropped but it was it was uh angling to

05:07

aft meaning that it dragged but at any

05:10

sort of speed it's not going to stop the

05:12

vessel uh she would have dropped I'm not

05:14

sure if she dropped the uh uh starban

05:17

aner that's her hitting right there you

05:18

can see the Big Splash as she hits the

05:20

piling right there there are barriers

05:22

around the pilings but not enough and

05:26

that will cause the the collapse and

05:28

just the horror of this event taking

05:31

place

05:32

here and and that is the tragedy right

05:39

there

05:46

so so that is my quick assessment based

05:50

on the video right there obviously a

05:52

loss of power uh resulted in the ship

05:56

losing control and hitting the uh Bridge

06:00

uh not a lot you can do the ship would

06:02

have been under the command of the

06:04

ship's Master there would have been a

06:06

Chesapeake Bay pilot on board to advise

06:09

the master remember the issue we had

06:12

with ever forward when it came out of

06:14

Baltimore and it was further down the

06:15

track than this we had the pilot being

06:18

distracted I don't think that's a case

06:20

here at all uh this obviously appears to

06:22

be a mechanical issue the fact that the

06:25

ship lost power at least once if not

06:26

twice it was kind of hard to see but it

06:28

may have lost power twice there

06:30

would have been uh the cause for the

06:32

ship to Corine into the bridge I will

06:34

have a further update here later on as

06:37

more comes to bear