International Intelligence Bureau: A boat "three football fields long" hit the bridge. Is it an accident or man-made?

　　China News Service, March 27 (Wei Chenxi) "This is a tragedy you can never imagine." Brandon Scott, mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, USA, said. In the early morning of the 26th local time, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after a cargo ship hit a support column. "It looked like something out of an action movie."

　　The U.S. Coast Guard stated on the evening of the 26th local time that the search and rescue operations for the Baltimore Bridge collapse accident had been suspended, and the six missing people who fell into the water were presumed dead.

　　Shipping is paralyzed and coal transportation is blocked... The loss of this bridge will not only bring a "nightmare" to shipping on the East Coast of the United States for several months, but the global supply chain will also be "the latest shock."

On March 26, local time, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, fractured and collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship. The picture shows an aerial photo of the collapsed bridge in Baltimore.

'Shocking sight'

　　The freighter, named "DALI" and flying the Singaporean flag, was destined for Colombo, Sri Lanka.

　　About an hour into the voyage, the ship's lights began to flash. A port pilot and assistant reported power problems and a loss of propulsion before impact, according to a U.S. Coast Guard briefing reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

　　"The ship couldn't move, there was no steering power, and the electronic equipment couldn't be used," said an officer on the ship at the time. "One of the engines made an abnormal noise and then stopped. There was a smell of burning fuel everywhere in the engine room. It was pitch black," the person said, before the boat could anchor in time to stop drifting. Before the accident, the crew sent a distress signal.

　　"The bridge collapsed!" At that time, Klaus, a logistics worker who was working the night shift, heard someone shouting. At that time, she only felt that the car of packages in front of her was shaking violently, and it sounded "like a strong thunderstorm."

　　"What is certain is that the entire bridge has disappeared." Krause, who was on duty near the bridge that night, told Reuters, "It was a shocking sight."

　　Several cars and people fell into the water, disrupting ship traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore.

　　Later the same day, officials from the Maryland Department of Transportation announced that there were eight people on the bridge when it collapsed. Two people had been rescued from the water, one of whom was sent to the hospital. The other six people who fell into the water were all construction workers and were currently presumed dead. .

　　Subsequently, U.S. President Biden delivered a speech on the Baltimore Bridge collapse, calling it a "terrible accident." He also said he hopes the federal government will pay for the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge.

On March 26, local time, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, fractured and collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship. The picture shows an aerial photo of the collapsed bridge in Baltimore.

"Signs of trouble"

　　Was this sudden accident intentional or accidental? Why did this giant cargo ship suddenly lose power?

　　Data from the real-time ship tracking website "MarineTraffic" shows that the cargo ship that hit the bridge was about 984 feet (about 300 meters) long, almost "the length of three football fields."

　　The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) responded on the 26th that the cargo ship had passed relevant inspections in June and September 2023. In addition, before hitting the bridge, the ship had "broke down", lost propulsion and was unable to maintain its expected course.

　　According to the Wall Street Journal, several people familiar with the matter revealed that contaminated fuel may have caused the ship to crash into the bridge after losing power.

　　A naval architect said contaminated fuel could cause problems for the ship's main generator, and a complete blackout would cause the ship to lose propulsion. Although the small generator on board can be started, it cannot perform all the functions of the main generator, and it takes time to start.

　　After the incident, US President Biden and local officials stated that there was no sign that the accident was intentional. However, before the disaster, some US media pointed out that there were "precursors of an accident" on the cargo ship.

　　In 2016, the ship crashed into the North Sea Container Terminal in the Belgian port of Antwerp while trying to leave the terminal. According to information from the Equasis ship database, in 2023, during an inspection in San Antonio, Chile, the ship was found to have defects in "propulsion and auxiliary machinery."

　　In recent years, several bridge collapses have occurred in many places in the United States. Reuters pointed out that the Baltimore Bridge collapse may be the worst bridge collapse in the United States since 2007.

On March 26, local time, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, fractured and collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship. The picture shows an aerial photo of the collapsed bridge in Baltimore.

'Serious and lasting effects'

　　According to Reuters, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was opened to traffic in 1977. It is about 2.6 kilometers long and has an annual traffic volume of about 11.3 million vehicles. It serves as the main thoroughfare between New York and Washington, avoiding downtown Baltimore. It is a "very important bridge" in the local area.

　　Analysts said that the collapse of the bridge disrupted ship traffic in the Port of Baltimore and would bring a "nightmare" to shipping on the East Coast of the United States for several months.

　　According to reports, more than 30,000 Marylanders commute on the bridge every day. Analysis points out that, on the one hand, the collapse of the bridge may bring inconvenience to the daily lives of local people and cause heavy losses to the local economy.

　　On the other hand, regarding the obstruction of "one of the busiest waterways in the United States", U.S. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg said that this will have a "serious and lasting impact" on the global supply chain.

　　The Wall Street Journal pointed out that the collapse of this bridge spanning an important trade shipping channel outside the city paralyzed shipping and made it difficult to transport coal. Retailers, truckers and industrial companies had to change shipping routes to control this "catastrophic incident." the economic impact of the incident.

　　Reports pointed out that many of the transported goods that were forced to change routes were dangerous goods. "These trucks now have to take a detour north, possibly taking Interstate 695, which is a longer route that may expose more communities to these hazardous materials." Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering explains Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

　　The Port of Baltimore is the busiest U.S. port for automobiles, light trucks and heavy farm and construction machinery, handling more automotive cargo than any other U.S. port, according to a state report. The analysis said that car drivers' transportation was diverted and port ship traffic was suspended, causing congestion, delays and rising costs. This will be "the latest impact on the global supply chain." (over)