Baltimore bridge collapse: Singapore-flagged ship passed foreign port inspections in 2023, says MPA

SINGAPORE — The Singapore-flagged vessel that crashed into a bridge in Baltimore on March 26 had passed foreign port state inspections in June and September 2023.

During the June 2023 inspection, a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was fixed before the vessel departed the port.

In a statement on March 27, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the Dali had been flagged with Singapore from October 2016 and is classed by classification society ClassNK.

"Classification societies are generally authorised by a flag administration to monitor compliance to technical standards and the applicable regulations by vessels registered under its flag," said MPA.

"Based on records, MPA confirms that the vessel's required classification society and statutory certificates covering the structural integrity of the vessel and functionality of the vessel's equipment were valid at the time of the incident."

Dali's next classification and statutory surveys are due in June 2024, said MPA.

The Dali — a Singapore-flagged 95,000 gross ton container vessel — collided with one of the pillars of the four-lane bridge in the eastern US port city at around 1.30am local time (1.30pm Singapore time) on March 26, causing it to collapse.

Six people were presumed dead after emergency workers suspended rescue efforts. Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River, with one reported to be in critical condition.

On the night of March 26, MPA said it has contacted the US Coast Guard, the Office of Marine Safety and the National Transportation Safety Board to offer assistance as the flag administration.

It added that investigators from Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau and MPA were headed to Baltimore to support investigations.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.