
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was hit by a cargo ship in 2024. The Dali was travelling at a speed of 8 knots, or just under 9 miles per hour, when it hit the bridge. The 984-foot vessel had lost power and issued a mayday moments before the collision. The impact caused the 1.6-mile-long bridge to collapse.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Speed | 8 knots (about 9 mph) |
| Length | 984 feet |
| Weight | 95,000 tons |
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What You'll Learn
- The cargo ship Dali was travelling at 8 knots (9 mph) when it hit the bridge
- The Dali was 984 feet long and weighed 95,000 tons
- The Blue Nagoya was travelling at 6 knots (7 mph) when it hit the bridge in 1980
- The Dali lost power and issued a mayday moments before the crash
- The Blue Nagoya lost control and drifted into a pier supporting the bridge

The cargo ship Dali was travelling at 8 knots (9 mph) when it hit the bridge
The Dali was a massive ship, over 900 feet long and weighing 95,000 tons. It is difficult to stop a cargo ship of this size in a short time, and no bridge could have withstood a direct hit from a vessel of this magnitude.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when the Dali hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. This was not the first time this bridge had been struck by a cargo vessel; in 1980, a smaller ship hit the same bridge.
The National Transportation Safety Board reported that the Dali was travelling at just under seven knots when it hit the bridge. This contradicts earlier reports that the ship was moving at 8 knots. However, it is worth noting that the speed of 8 knots was reported by multiple sources, including the cargo ship's crew and a Maryland Transportation Authority duty officer.
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The Dali was 984 feet long and weighed 95,000 tons
The Dali was a cargo ship that weighed 95,000 tons and was 984 feet long. It was travelling at a speed of 8 knots, or just under 9 miles per hour, when it hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The Dali's speed is considered "very rapid" for a ship of its size. Indeed, no bridge would have been able to withstand a direct hit from a cargo ship of that weight moving at that speed, according to structural engineers.
The Dali collided with the bridge after losing power and issuing a mayday. Local officials were able to stop traffic on the bridge, likely saving lives. The crew of the Dali tried to deploy the anchor, but it is unclear how much progress was made.
The incident occurred early on Tuesday morning and resulted in the collapse of the bridge. Investigators are still collecting evidence at the site, and it could be years before the full story of how and why the bridge collapsed is known.
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The Blue Nagoya was travelling at 6 knots (7 mph) when it hit the bridge in 1980
In 1980, the Blue Nagoya cargo ship was travelling at 6 knots, or nearly 7 miles per hour, when it hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The vessel had lost control about 1,800 feet away from the bridge and drifted into a pier that supported the structure.
The Blue Nagoya was moving at a slower speed than the Dali, a cargo ship that hit the same bridge in 2024. The Dali was clocked at just under 7 knots, or about 8 miles per hour, when it collided with the bridge.
The speed of both vessels was considered to be very rapid, and it is unlikely that any bridge could have withstood the impact of a cargo ship travelling at that speed. In the case of the Blue Nagoya, the collision caused the bridge to collapse, and in the case of the Dali, six workers were presumed dead.
It is important to note that the speed of a vessel can be a critical factor in determining the severity of a collision. In the case of the Blue Nagoya and the Dali, the speed at which they were travelling likely contributed to the significant damage caused to the bridge.
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The Dali lost power and issued a mayday moments before the crash
The Dali lost power and issued a mayday moments before it crashed into the bridge at a speed of 8 knots, or about 9 mph. The 984-foot cargo ship had been travelling at a "very rapid" speed, according to authorities.
The crew of the Dali tried to deploy the anchor, but it is unclear how much progress was made. Captain Michael Burns, executive director of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy's Maritime Center for Responsible Energy, said that stopping a cargo ship is difficult, especially in such a short time.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the Dali had been clocked at just under seven knots before the collision. However, another source reported that the Dali was moving at 8 knots, or 8 mph, just before the crash.
The impact of the collision caused the 1.6-mile-long bridge to collapse. Structural engineers have said that no bridge could have withstood that kind of direct hit from a cargo ship weighing 95,000 tons.
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The Blue Nagoya lost control and drifted into a pier supporting the bridge
The Blue Nagoya lost control and drifted into a pier supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The cargo vessel was moving at about six knots, or nearly seven miles per hour, when it made impact. This is considered a "very rapid" speed for a ship of that size.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, with the ship notifying authorities that it had lost power and issuing a mayday moments before the collision. Dark smoke was seen coming from the vessel, which was travelling at the same speed as another ship, the Dali, which had been clocked at just under seven knots.
The Blue Nagoya was about 1,800 feet away from the bridge when it lost control, according to a 1983 report by the U.S. National Research Council. The bridge was also hit by a wayward cargo vessel in 1980, and in 1998, demonstrating a history of collisions.
The impact of the Blue Nagoya with the pier supporting the bridge was significant, and it is likely that no bridge could have withstood such a direct hit from a cargo ship. The full story of how and why the bridge collapsed could take years to uncover, and investigators were still collecting evidence at the site several days after the incident.
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Frequently asked questions
The cargo ship Dali was travelling at 8 knots, or just under 9 miles per hour, when it hit the bridge.
No, the Dali collided with another cargo vessel, the Blue Nagoya, which was travelling at about 6 knots, or nearly 7 miles per hour.
Yes, the Dali lost power and issued a mayday moments before it hit the bridge.











































