The fight over funding Key Bridge reconstruction
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- Опубликовано: 14 май 2024
- With a price tag ranging between $1.7 and $1.9 billion, not every state is enthusiastic about the idea of helping to fund the rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. On Wednesday morning, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator, Shailen Bhatt, faced questions from lawmakers on the plans for the federal government to fully fund the construction. It was part of a larger hearing on the Key Bridge collapse held by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. "My constituents are not willing to pay for this thing," Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas) told Bhatt.
You break it you buy it. Tax payers shouldn’t pay a dime.
{Sigh} Once again.
1) The US Government built the bridge in the first place.
2) The bridge is connected to the US INTERSTATE system so it is the responsibility of The US government.
3) The port loses approximately $400 Million per day while it's closed. That's money for American companies and American employees. Thousands
of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse.
4) The shipping company MAY be held responsible some time in the future... years from now, but we need the port open NOW.
welcome to the real world where you should have learned by now that things like "you break it you buy it" and how insurance companies "should" work aren't really things.
@@edvadojunk That's the dumbest argument I've ever heard as to why the insurance company or the company themselves shouldn't have to pay for it. ThE fEdErAl GoVeRnMeNt pAiD fOr It InItIaLly. I can't believe people like this vote. So now we get to pay for the bridge twice and you think that's awesome. Just turn on the money printer and get it done. JFC
@@user-um6up4ox9d Yeah, accountability isn't a thing anymore, totally get it. So we should just bend over and take it.
@@jay-rad98 Read it again. I never EVER said they shouldn't have to pay for it. What I said is they shouldn't have to pay for it RIGHT NOW. It takes years for cases like this to wind their way through the courts. We don't have TIME to wait until that happens to start the recovery.
The shipping company should be paying for this!!!
{Sigh} Once again.
1) The US Government built the bridge in the first place.
2) The bridge is connected to the US INTERSTATE system so it is the responsibility of The US government.
3) The port loses approximately $400 Million per day while it's closed. That's money for American companies and American employees. Thousands
of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse.
4) The shipping company MAY be held responsible some time in the future... years from now, but we need the port open NOW.
@@edvadojunk nope
@@JoeFlation Well there's an intelligent, well thought-out response.
@@edvadojunk I could say your spam post violates the TOS of RUclips , that it's irritating and indicates a low quality comment from someone being sarcastic instead of adding value. I chose nope after considering numerous other less polite responses
@@edvadojunk look I can copy and paste on every comment too!!!!
That's the dumbest argument I've ever heard as to why the insurance company or the company themselves shouldn't have to pay for it. ThE fEdErAl GoVeRnMeNt pAiD fOr It InItIaLly. I can't believe people like this vote. So now we get to pay for the bridge twice and you think that's awesome. Just turn on the money printer and get it done. JFC
Confiscate the ship and all its cargo as collateral!
The cargo does not belong to the ship owner. Thats like suing everyone that had a package on a UPS truck that crashed. The ship is old and isnt worth the cost of keeping it until a buyer could be found. The state has to have some kind of insurance, let the insurance company take it in the shorts for once. The shipowner should also share in the cost because the ship had had several generator problems at the dock and should have been fully repaired before leaving.
That wouldn't come CLOSE to covering the cost of replacement.
The cargo is private property . Hey, maybe it's container after container of REAL designer clothes, or containers of exotic hardwood or marble, or it might be containers of Donald's Depends. Its' a crap shoot.
@@pamelawing5747 I bet it's full of joe's diapers and all that government issue drau paraphenalia, and your shipment of D cell batteries
@@pamelawing5747 Regardless. It ain't gonna add up to Billions of dollars.
How about banning this company from operating any ships in US waters until they pay for the damage? Why does this country always act like victims, rather than the ones in charge?
Exactly
You want to punish all the companies that shipping line uses? That's imports AND exports.
@@edvadojunk Wow! You are so confused that I hardly know where to begin. First of all, imports to the USA far outweigh exports. That is why we have hundreds of thousands of empty shipping containers sitting in San Pedro and Long Beach today. Second, any shipping company that cannot account for the damage they cause should absolutely be prohibited. Third, where do you perceive any punishment? It is punitive that auto drivers are require to have insurance?
@@Inigo_The_Son Regardless of the direction the goods are moving (import or export) punishing the people sending or receiving those goods by shutting down the shipper is beyond ridiculous. I realize you're trying to prove some sort of point about the trade imbalance, but in this case your point makes no difference.
@@edvadojunk You completely missed the point.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT BRIDGE THE PEOPLE THAT OWN DALI SHOULD BE PAYING
The insurance company for the barge and the barge company should pay for it. Who was the insurer for the barge?😮😮😮
Maybe they are only insured for 3 million and not 3 Billion?
@@concernedcitizen780 under insuring opens everyone involved with that shipping company to liability.
What barge ?
The boat owner should pay, and should have insurance.
You do realize insurance just charges us more after paying out right?????
{Sigh} Once again.
1) The US Government built the bridge in the first place.
2) The bridge is connected to the US INTERSTATE system so it is the responsibility of The US government.
3) The port loses approximately $400 Million per day while it's closed. That's money for American companies and American employees. Thousands
of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse.
4) The shipping company MAY be held responsible some time in the future... years from now, but we need the port open NOW.
@@edvadojunk oh here we go. You can't argue with this special individual, youtube removes your comments. We have to pay for it everyone, Biden sent RUclips the new programming to send for the brainless wonders!!!!!
@@edvadojunk Oh look, another copy/paste.
Should be no fight over funding, shipping company 💯 should be on the hook for that bill.
Isn’t there an Insurance policy for owner of this ship? Oh sure, we pay to fix bridge and funnel more money from the US citizens… owner of the ship who owned it‼️
You REALLY think the ship owner has a couple billion dollars to just whip out. That bridge is a main trucking and commuting line. You maybe the first one screaming about where your Amazon order came from.
I think the next time Texas gets a hurricane or one of those massive droughts and floods and comes crawling to the feds to help them out with rebuilding the same roads and homes that have been flooded out three, four, five times and yet they do nothing to mitigate those risks. They are going to have to step up as insurance companies are sick of it and can't afford it. So, as the world turns, what goes around comes around.
I believe so, but I believe the owner of the ship is trying to use an old law that's on the books where the cost caps at $43M. I think ... I could be wrong.
@@pamelawing5747 OK, calm down! You're going to be ok! Take your meds, go to bed and get some rest. When you wake up, you'll still be the same miserable person that you are right now!
@@pamelawing5747 All you do is rant and rave and throw political nonsense FJB&U
@@JoeFlation I'm sorry, I know you meant to insult me but I have no idea what your "letters' mean. Well at least you didn't use one of those stupid emojis you are all so fond of. I'd be happier with the tornados in red states if my tax dollars didn't have to pay to try to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
You break it, then you pay for it. Very simple.
Why bother to debate who should pay? Its ridiculous.
There's a special individual arguing it doesn't work that way because it was a federally funded bridge lol. Ok so now I have to pay for 2 bridges? LMFAO
How is there a fight? the shipping company is 100% at fault and their insurance pays, if they cannot pay, take their assets to auction.
Where is the ships insurance company.
Excellent question
Why should we as taxpayers pay for rebuilding the Key bridge. The billionaires who own the ship and shipping company need to be paying for all the damages including pay the families of those workers who died when the bridge fell need to be paid settlements so that they never have to worry for the rest of their lives.
❤
{Sigh} Once again.
1) The US Government built the bridge in the first place.
2) The bridge is connected to the US INTERSTATE system so it is the responsibility of The US government.
3) The port loses approximately $400 Million per day while it's closed. That's money for American companies and American employees. Thousands
of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse.
4) The shipping company MAY be held responsible some time in the future... years from now, but we need the port open NOW.
@@edvadojunk You KNOW that 99% of the people posting here will totally ignore you. They have THEIR agenda and reality will not change it. Yea, you are so correct.
@@edvadojunk gee i see you like to spam.
@@pamelawing5747 Of course. I'm speaking to the 49% of the audience that think with their brains, and not their gonads.
Wait ... wait ... wait! If someone could help me understand that'd be great! Maryland wants us (all U.S. taxpayers, including Maryland) to pay for the new bridge that some of us (like me who lives in a different state) will never see or use, and then ask folks who actually use the bridge to pay a surcharge in tolls to help pay for the bridge? Do I understand this correctly? I'm confused!
Sucks doesn't it? Only the East Coast matters the rest of the country can pound sand.....
u r a moron
yes, you are confused. The money that's being laid out is "seed money" (loan?) to get things rolling while the legal aspect (lawsuits) is being sorted out. Hopefully it doesn't take 10 years like that other guy stated.
{Sigh} Once again.
1) The US Government built the bridge in the first place.
2) The bridge is connected to the US INTERSTATE system so it is the responsibility of The US government.
3) The port loses approximately $400 Million per day while it's closed. That's money for American companies and American employees. Thousands
of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse.
4) The shipping company MAY be held responsible some time in the future... years from now, but we need the port open NOW.
Our tax money has been going to Ukraine. Most of us will never see or go there or live there. So what's the difference?
The insurance company should pay eventually
In 10 months or less
More likely ten years ...
The insurance of the Ship pays for the bridge that's FIN
How about a TUNNEL don’t have to worry no more
My thoughts exactly that tunnel that runs from the UK to France hasn't been destroyed by terrorism, incompetent boat captains/ ship malfunction or the elements......
There are already 2 tunnels. You need a bridge to carry Hazmat traffic between the port and elsewhere is why there is a bridge.
The Owners of the Dali should pay for all of the costs.
I think the people of Baltimore should absorb the full cost of the bridge. They should also reimburse the ship operator for all their loses and damage to the vessel. Maybe sell the Ravens to absorb some of the cost.
They need to overturn the maritime law written in the 1800's that limits the liability of the shipping company that owns the Dali and charge them for the cost of rebuilding the bridge. Their electrical failures caused the ship to ram the bridge that brought it down. Not sure why City of Baltimore, MD and everyone else just assumes the Fed govt should pay for rebuilding that bridge. And make sure they build one that doesn't fall down as soon as its rammed in one small section.
That law exists so that shipping companies don't go out of business. Litigation will take years, we don't have that time. It's US infrastructure used by US citizens, and compared to stuff like the 107 billion sent to Ukraine, it's a good use of tax dollars. We can't wait until all the lawsuits are done, and appealed, and done again. Everyone want's apiece of this, the state, the city, the port, individual shippers affected...we can't wait.
@@1972Ray that law was written in the 1860's or so. So today, if a large container ship rams a bridge and brings down a bridge that will cost at least $2B to rebuild, put thousands out of work fpr months, billions lost in trade and revenues, deaths of 6 owrkers on the bridge, they should be limited to $150M in total damages?
@@1972Ray so the entity best qualfieid to pay for a new bridge should be the one to pay for it?
@@neowuwei7851 No. And the ships insurance has offered 300 million. I was just stating the reason the law exists, not that I agree with it.
@@1972Ray what they've offered and what the law states are two different things. $300M is a pittance compared to the losses to commerce or the cost of a new bridge.
The ship insurance company should be paying for it !!!
That's what it's for !!!
Paying for bridge is one thing the bigger question is who's going to pay for the massive legal bills which have already started and will continue for years to come.
01:20 Kind of ridiculous when they pull back the camera and show a chamber that is largely empty. The first couple of rows of seats on the government side are all empty, and the press is outnumbering the participants.
But it's less than 2 billion we are talking about. For the Feds, that's a fart in a hurricane.
Biden wants to pay for it but again Republicans don't.
This accident points out that engineers/designers of that type of ship decided to use external power to control the flow of water and oil for the engine. Being a mechanic for over 60 years, I think of the self contained oil and water systems in internal combustion engines. I feel they need to go back to the drawing board to insure that these ship engines don't turn off because the external oil and water source went off. As I read somewhere today, an engineer stated that this was a situation where the engine would be a necessary sacrifice to avoid a collision, but the system does not allow a lack of external power.
Isn't this the fault of the ship's owner? and don't they have insurance? Shouldn't all the monies that the ship's owner(s) have be frozen until the cost is satisfied?
$2 billion? The cost of two stealth bomber airplanes.
right? and no one else is talking about the price tag. $2 billion!! are they going to make it out of gold good lord
@@BryanChance - US is the rich country.
It is OK to send 61 billions to the war… but problems to find 2 billions to build this bridge.
Why the most powerful country in the world needs 4 - 5 years to build bridge (2,5 km)
while Mordor and gas-station built TWO bridges 19,5 km each during 3,5 years…..?
Yeah, the airplane company is ripping this country off.
@@95valero mordor and gas station
@@j.reinholme
all western politicians said that towards Russia
from O'bomba to Bidonenko.
So, doing a little quick math here, that's six negligent homicides and a $2bn bridge bill, plus the reparations for all the lost economic activity for parts of an entire region... Do private companies carry that kind of insurance? Oh year, there was all that road maintenance equipment lost- that'll have to be replaced as well.
Paying to rebuild the bridge is one thing the other is who is going to pay for the demolition of the old bridge
The people will pay for the bridge and pay taxes for using it.
Tell the truth there was a power failure before the ship even moved from the dock, then two other power failures. That ship should never been allowed to get under way ! Without finding the reason for the power failure while docked WTF. Tell the fuxken truth
You should watch the entire report before you comment. I said that.
The shipping company has to pay for the bridge accident for the dead workers the
I believe there in an old maritime law on the books that says something to the effect of a shipping company is only responsible for damages up to the cost of the ship that caused them.
Every one has such good advice, but it’s our government that doesn’t have common sense
This needs to be rebuilt as a TOLL BRIDGE! Reconstruction should be paid for by tolls, by those who use it, not the American taxpayer until it is paid for! I do not want to pay for a bridge I will never use.
The Key Bridge was a tolled bridge. But the state transportation authority chose to not update their bridge protection features beyond the widely-spaced, four undersized dolphins that allowed the Dali to sail between them undisturbed.
Many other ports chose to improve theirs, and also continue to require escort tugs rather than making them at captain/pilot discretion, so they avoid such disasters. Look up the Qingdao that lost propulsive power in the Port of NY/NJ about a week after the Dali struck the Key Bridge. It barely made the news because protocols and infrastructure prevented a similar catastrophe, despite the Qingdao being a larger and heavier cargo ship than the Dali.
U r an $Idiot. #1. It was always a toll bridge. #2. American taxpayers pay tolls. 😂😂😂
@@chow-chihuang4903 So it's a democrat issue. Got it.
@@jay-rad98 Depends on when the cost-cutting decisions were made.
Be vigilant Americans 🇺🇸❤️ GOD to the people
The first thing is that it had no good barrier to protect the bridge but taking a good look at the power lines is much better
The ship destroyed the bridge so their insurance company or owners of ship should pay ...if I drive into a bridge and damage or destroy it I assure you nobody would be having a debate about who's going to pay for it for me....😢
The government should pay for it now so the bridge is replaced and then make the shipping company pay for it later.
The insurance company can start writing checks right now
I think we need to just start reconstructing ASAP and start sending the bill.
do you realize that ASAP = 6 -12 months? ... and that's just to start. It will be well over 12 months before prep to accept raw materials (for a new bridge) is done. Once a plan is finalized it will take a LONG time to make the various parts and transport them to the scene.
THANKS PERRY
Everyone is insane.
The good part about being hopeless is there's nothing left to worry about.
Get in line , the govt has delayed the replacement of the two bridges over the cape cod canal for years! Will this Baltimore bridge take precident over the Cape bridges?
Thank goodness Biden got the loans to build back better! Maybe this will mark the end of the demolition and be the first build.
The shipping company should pay on top of the shipping companies insurance. Also charge a little more for all shipping companies to use the port to help pay for a new bridge. The insurance company for the bridge I believe already paid out.
UNDERSTAND THE CREW HAS THE ANSWER TO THIS CRIME, YOU THINK THE SHOULD RELEASE THEM OUT OF THE COUNTRY NEFORE THE TRUTH IS KNOWN
The crew of the ship is really screwed. On one hand, they need most of them to keep the systems running on board, on the other, since they are foreigners, they would need permission to come off the ship to officially enter the US, to go to an airport, for instance./
Their situation is somewhat similar to when Covid hit, and quarantines were put in place. What they thought was going to be a weeks-long assignment turned into a lock-down that lasted more than a year in some cases.
Why should the rest of the country pay to replace the bridge?! Baltimore is a dumpster fire...
Did east Palestine get any help with their toxic train derailment? What about the Maui residents who lost their houses in the fires? But Baltimore gets their bridge? it kind of seems unfair doesn't it, Like only the East Coast matters....
More like a s*** h***.
@@steve1279 ya maga they got help
{Sigh} Once again.
1) The US Government built the bridge in the first place.
2) The bridge is connected to the US INTERSTATE system so it is the responsibility of The US government.
3) The port loses approximately $400 Million per day while it's closed. That's money for American companies and American employees. Thousands
of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse.
4) The shipping company MAY be held responsible some time in the future... years from now, but we need the port open NOW.
Just like ur mother Puss C 😂
YOU TUBE KEEPS REMOVING THE TRUTH I KNOW ABOUT THIS CRIME, AND TAXPAYERS NOT FUNDING THIS CRIME
How did a broken ship get the go-ahead to leave port?
Who gives departure clearance???
Hm.
the captain and the ship's engineer are responsible. he should have been able to say that his vessel was incapable of leaving the dock without assistance and he should have dropped anchor to make repairs.
I DON,T CARE IF THE BRIDGE IS EVER REPLACED ,THE TAXPAYERS BUILT IT THE TAXPAYERS PAID DAILY TOLLS TO USE IT,
The situation is complex. While I agree the shipping company should pay, here is the problem:
* Do the shipping companies involved in the accident even have enough assets / insurance to cover a bridge of this cost and can they pay it in time? Most liability insurance policies cover a few million dollars. I am not sure if they have 2 billion in coverage to begin with. If you sue them and they don't have the cash, it could result in them filing bankruptcy and not paying. Insufficient assets or insurance could also result in a payment plan but this would delay the bridge rebuild possibly by years.
* If the government pays, who is going to fit the bill? The State of Maryland? The Federal Highway Administration? The City of Baltimore? Th City of Dundalk? Should this be shared among agencies?
* Should this come out of taxpayer dollars? Should it be a bond issue? Should it be paid back via tolls or other means?
I think this is a complex issue because of the cost, but I think that this is a situation in which the shipping companies may be underinsured for the full costs of rebuilding.
Such a "WORLD TRADE CENTER" moment 😮
The government will look out for the large corporations involved as usual, that's who they work for, not the people.
The ships owner should pay for the new bridge.
How about telling the boating company the company that's doing owns that ship you can never ever ever deliver anything else to the United States
Reduced tolls regardless of residency if Feds pay up.
Take a couple billion being sent abroad to whomever and fix the bridge. OH THATS RIGHT, WE'RE PAYING FOR ALL THAT TOO. 🤨
Print more paper money
Maybe have a crash barrier this time, should have been one installed a long time ago
Politicians on both sides are more concerned about giving out free needles and subsidies to failing companies and countries.
It's pretty straight forward. If I get into an accident and it's my fault, insurance covers it. Why is this on the tax payers? Pay up. Can't wait to hear from a special individual in the comments. My replies get deleted.
What I want to know is the shipping companies insurance company buying a new bridge
2 billion for a bridge that will balloon to 3 billion with cost overruns to kickbacks.
1:11 yall deregulated the insurance companies back in the early 1980s! How is that scheme working out for us now?
Gross criminal negligence. The shipping company should be financing the entire salvage, reconstruction and wrongful deaths of the six workers.
Why do they always fail to identify the name of the shipping company ?
I think the shipping company should be sued for the entire amount. THE COMPANY SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE SERVICE UNTIL THE ISSUE IS TAKEN CARE OF
4 years of heavy traffic, my God come with one better. Is the army and Pantone bridge busy? They ain't no type of movable Pantone bridge
Drifting, just a huge rowboat!!!😅😅😅😅😅
There should not be any fight over who pays for the bridge, the owners of the shipping company should pay for everything, not the TAX PAYERS. We as taxpayers payers didn’t knock down the bridge.
We didn't destroy it, we shouldn't have to pay for it. And then they want to charge me a toll to use it. Guess I won't be using it. But I don't haul out of Baltimore anyhow.
If re-building the bridge includes the Union. 2 billion is out the window. I'll bet 3.5-4.5 Billion will be reality.
PLUS, the schedule will be extended at LEAST a year.
Why the F does the crew have to stay on the ship all this time?
billions to ukraine israel and tawain. plus all these militarary bases around the world. and we trying to figure out who should pay for our bridge at home. smdh
Biden infrastructure bill will pay for the bridge but again Republicans are fighting it.
NO kidding right ..........so stupid .....government USA first.. NOPE .....foreign countries ...........YEUP
Joetato has already promised to pay for it. And it is actually infrastructure, and his multi trillion infrastructure bell passed, so take whatever it costs out of that. Mainly it is being wasted anyway.
No it's not bein wasted, the infrastructure bill is being used all over the country. Republicans are trying to stop funding.
I live not even a mile away from the Key Bridge and $0 of my taxes should go to ANY of this!! If anything, Hogan is to blame for this. He was warned against this size of ship going to the Port. He was told the magnitude of something were to happen. But $$$ was more important! Whomever deemed that the Dali was ok to leave the Port should be criminally prosecuted for the death of 6 people. The solution is simple, repossess the ship and all its cargo, even the crew until the money is fully recovered to pay for the ship. Hold the crew for the duration of ALL investigations, including the homicide of the 6 deaths. Who gives af if they can’t go home for awhile, atleast they’ll be able to see their family again, unlike the 6 families of the victims!
Three hours is a long time to get nothing done.
Use that Amtrack money
Interesting i see an expensive ship they could sell . 🤔
Terrorism ?
You better let the Public know .
I'm with you brother we gotta fight this 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
What's the point of a comment section if youtube is just gonna delete the comments?
2 billion goverment won't pay taxpayers management company and owners take forever to get it
Build a bridge in Ukrainian, it’s totally paid for.
Wait a minute! First why does it cost almost $2 billion? Made of gold?? Secondly, we just sent another couple of billion to other countries....we could use it at home!
Where is the shipping companies insurance. The United States government didn't knock down the bridge the. You all need to wake up
ANOTHER BRIDGE? SHOULD BE A TUNNEL SHIPS CAN NOT HIT A TUNNEL AND THE SHIPPING CO SHOULD PAY
More taxes I suppose.
Hundreds of billions of dollars we dont have to Ukraine... not America
Biden already said he would.
This is so dragged out now that I’ll pop back in here next year and it won’t look any different 🤮
I don't believe they should be fully Responsible for the Collapse Bridge wasn't Protected & Tugboats were in order & The Ship shouldn't have left Port knowing Repairs was needed I think some of this should be the Ports Responsible for this but People won't invest them they will be let off the hook just because they are the Port of Baltimore.
there's no way in hell that bridge costs 2 billion to reconstruct
Well politicians have to make their buddies rich. Just turn on the money printer and wonder why everything goes up another percent.
Ware. Is. The. Bridge. Insurance. And ship. Insurance. Are doing. It. Not. S. Stati. Issue. It. Is. Global. Ssue
Well tell the warmongers to play for 3 the ones that was behind all this
fn horse$hit.... shipping company needs to fn pay... un fn real to believe
If an American ship took down a bridge in Singapore, what do you think would happen? Would the Singaporeans scramble to spend tax dollars on repairs? Of course not. The shipping company, and/or the USA government, would fix it immediately. Are we allowing uninsured ships to do business in the USA?
Your going to pay to reconstruct the bridge !
PERIOD !
Deals as to when you pay Will be predetermined ...
Included in your offer of opening bidding...to construction companies.
Then...you will sue Ship owner/Insurance company.
For costs accrued during reconstruction, plus damages.
This is the way business is conducted.
Yes...my example was "Brief". Obviously there are many other idiosyncracsyies...
But that's the "general" idea...painted with a large brush.
Good ol’ usa 🙄
Forget the bridge why rebuild it? Build an underwater tunnel instead maybe this time you won't have a boat captain ruin it....
I thought they said they was going to take the ship to Virginia for repairs. I don’t see why they would need to do that because right around the corner not too far from the naval yard is a place that can repair the ship
Should be split between the owner/operator of the ship for not maintaining their ship in good operating condition, the Port of Baltimore for releasing it after learning it was having multiple power outage issues and eliminating the practice of escort tugs until they passed the bridge safely, and Maryland’s Transportation Authority for refusing to improve the bridge protection systems as the Port solicited larger and larger ships.
The Qingdao lost propulsive power shortly after leaving its berth. The two escort tugs moving with it were able to immediately get it out of the narrow river into the bay, and they were quickly joined by a third because the Port of New York & New Jersey maintains the policy of escort tugs, thus also maintaining a good number of tugs and tug crews. In fact, a fourth and fifth tug joined them in case they were needed, but the first three were able to slow the Qingdao and anchor it before it reached the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The Qingdao is a larger and heavier cargo ship than the Dali.
The event was barely covered because the Port of NY/NJ has more rigid requirements, maintains a healthy population of tugs, and should a ship happen to head towards a bridge pier, almost all the bridges in and near the port that are expected to have large ships or barges pass by have multiple bridge protection features. Just pan around the area in satellite/airplane images in any map app. You will see dolphins, diverters, islands (some have little visible above the water, but you will see water around the piers be lighter than deeper water) to “beach” ships, abutments, starlings, and lastly, fenders, which are meant for small watercraft. They realize those protocols and infrastructure cost a lot less than the loss of a bridge.
It would be nice for federal funds to help clean up the mess, but I don’t think we should as many other ports responsibly kept up their protective infrastructure and protocols, avoiding such a catastrophic event.
Good write up!!
Confiscate the ship scrap it and make its scrap steel go into the new bridge.
Divert funding from israel and ukraine for americas infrastructure.