Cargo Ship Crash: NTSB Finds Electrical Blackouts and Design Flaws Led to Baltimore Bridge Collapse

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A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation has revealed that two electrical blackouts, caused by a loose wire and a faulty fuel pump, crippled the controls of a massive cargo ship before it crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024. The collision caused the bridge to collapse, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers. The NTSB found that the crew was able to restore power after the first blackout, but a second blackout occurred shortly after due to a lack of fuel, which was caused by a manual restart requirement for a fuel flushing pump. This pump must be restarted by a crew member, who must navigate through complete darkness to reach it. The NTSB believes that using infrared thermal imaging to inspect the wiring system could have prevented the first blackout. However, the crew did not have instructions on how to check individual wire connections, and doing so would have been impractical on a ship with thousands of wires. The investigation also highlighted the growth of container ships, which poses a greater threat to bridges. The NTSB found that the Baltimore bridge was not adequately fortified to protect against today's massive cargo ships, despite discussions among stakeholders in the port to improve bridge pier protections as early as two decades before the collapse. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed frustration with the response of the ship's operator, Synergy, and other companies involved in the investigation. She noted that the companies have had access to the NTSB's findings for 20 months but have not updated their policies to advise crews not to use a backup maintenance pump to supply fuel to the generators. The NTSB is set to vote on its findings and safety recommendations, which include a call for better training for crews and the use of infrared thermal imaging to inspect wiring systems. The investigation's findings come as Maryland officials have more than doubled the estimated cost to replace the bridge and added two years to the projected completion date, which is now set for 2030.