ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is set to vote on its findings regarding the catastrophic collision of a container ship and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which collapsed, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers.
The board's crucial vote is scheduled a day after Maryland's infrastructure authorities more than doubled the estimated costs for replacing the bridge and extended the completion timeline to 2030. The new estimated cost ranges between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, up from approximately $1.9 billion.
Maryland's Governor Wes Moore announced that initial cost projections were made shortly after the bridge's collapse on March 26, 2024. “Since that time, national economic conditions and material costs have escalated significantly,” Moore stated. “The increased expenses are largely due to new federal design standards and resilience requirements, rather than state decisions.”
The NTSB meeting in Washington will likely address the probable cause of the incident, alongside any possible safety recommendations and amendments to earlier reports.
In prior findings, investigators reported that a loose cable might have led to electrical complications on the cargo ship Dali, which subsequently lost power and strayed off course before colliding with the bridge. The accident impacted shipping traffic in the Port of Baltimore for months following the incident.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the Dali lost power before leaving Baltimore, with a crew-member's mistake leading to one of its diesel engines stalling. Adjustments were made to its electrical systems, which later revealed the loose cable issue. Reports suggested that disconnecting this problematic cable caused an electrical blackout similar to what occurred before the collision.
While trying to depart Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka, steering failure led to the Dali crashing into a supporting column of the bridge just after 1:30 AM, triggering the bridge's collapse into the Patapsco River.
The six construction workers who fell to their deaths were part of a road crew working late-night shifts, contributing to the tragic losses of the incident. The NTSB has since criticized the Maryland Transportation Authority for not addressing the bridge's vulnerability to ship strikes, even as maritime shipping has expanded significantly since the bridge's opening in 1977.
Crews initiated the demolition of the remaining parts of the bridge in July, marking ongoing efforts to manage the infrastructure damage from this tragedy.
