Key Bridge, Baltimore, has collapsed.

[cleavers]

You sound like you have me at a disadvantage with your knowledge

I'm only going by what I can see to be honest, I'm certainly not an expert, so it's mostly commen sense.

Hoever it's a big ship, a quick google shows it extends nearly 40 feet below the waterline, fully loaded, so the channel is likely to be at least 60 feet below the bridge where the ship movements take place.

From the pictures of the remains of the bridge, most of the estuary doesn't look too deep, much of the bridge seems to be resting in fairly shallow water.

To get big ships in and out there will be a deeper channel as I mentioned above (it may not be the biggest ship that go into that port), and tides move a huge amount of water in and out of an estuary, and it's quite a wide one.

Now there are under water "structures" (the bridge damege) which will collect sediment until they can dredge the channel, and they are big structures impeding the flow (not mention the ship until they can move it).

 

[eyalluvitt]

Apparently the ship (and potentially crew) was previously involved in a collision incident in Antwerp in 2016.

Cargo ship that hit Baltimore bridge was involved in Antwerp collision in 2016 | Baltimore bridge collapse | The Guardian

The Dali was reportedly detained in Belgium after scraping side of quay and significantly damaging part of hull in good weather

amp.theguardian.com

surely it’s not that hard to avoid two giant pillars covered in warning lights supporting a giant bridge, unless they let a woman steer it for a bet

 

[eyalluvitt]

 

[rickmcfc]

surely it’s not that hard to avoid two giant pillars covered in warning lights supporting a giant bridge, unless they let a woman steer it for a bet

The ship lost power twice before hitting the bridge. The pilots who were in charge stood no chance, hence dropping the anchors in a last ditch attempt to slow it down

 

[mackenzie]

I saw it on the news at about 7am this morning before I went to work. Just seen it now in "real time".....the one this morning must have been shown in slow motion.
Awful.
Thankfully a Mayday was put out, because that is horrific.

 

[jimharri]

What sort of distance would be required for a ship of that size, laden with that weight, going at whatever speed it was travelling, to change course sufficiently to avoid such a collision? And yes; I realise it's not like steering a Daewoo Matiz. The sheer weight of the vessel would be propelling it forward, making "steering" a very gradual process.

 

[Gray]

On the bridge rebuild, they'll still have the concrete piers to build on, so that could help.

One is definitely not up to the job, most of it is on the bow of the container vessel.

 

[cleavers]

What sort of distance would be required for a ship of that size, laden with that weight, going at whatever speed it was travelling, to change course sufficiently to avoid such a collision? And yes; I realise it's not like steering a Daewoo Matiz. The sheer weight of the vessel would be propelling it forward, making "steering" a very gradual process.

A lot more time than they had after the power loss ;-)

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

It's giving Brexit Jim a few ideas I bet.

How to demolish a load of steel scaffolding next to a canal on the cheap...

 

[MillionMilesAway]

What sort of distance would be required for a ship of that size, laden with that weight, going at whatever speed it was travelling, to change course sufficiently to avoid such a collision? And yes; I realise it's not like steering a Daewoo Matiz. The sheer weight of the vessel would be propelling it forward, making "steering" a very gradual process.

It's difficult to know as most stopping distances assume you can put engines to astern. And tides, etc. Also no-one really considers an inertial stop option.

It was doing 8 knots (I think this was said this morning) - but without power, about 1.5-2 miles nautical miles, I think.

Stopping Distance, Turning Circle, Ships Manoeuvring – Knowledge Of Sea

knowledgeofsea.com

has a ship half the length at 10 knots travelling 2 nautical miles.