Inclinometers Readied for Dali Operations

May 6, 2024

(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Christopher Rosario)

Salvage crews within the Key Bridge Unified Command continue to prepare for the complex task of removing the large piece of bridge lying on top of the M/V Dali.

Prior to removing the bridge piece, salvage teams must meticulously analyze and factor in numerous hazards and obstacles resulting from the bridge's impact. Crushed containers, hull damage, and weight shifts are among the critical considerations crews must address during the bridge removal and refloating operation of the ship.

Specialized equipment has been employed to closely monitor the positioning and movement of the Dali and the bridge wreckage in contact with it.

“We’ve got a total of six of, what we call, inclinometers that measure tilt on key locations of the span and key locations of the ship so we can watch how it’s pitching and rolling with tide, and wind,” said Rob Ruthledge, a contractor working for the Key Bridge Unified Command. “We have a sensor measuring the relative position of the span on the ship so we can see, if for some reason, it starts to slip. We also have what are called string gauges, which can measure, in real-time, the stress, while they are performing operations.”

Crews have also been working to remove the portions of bridge span 17, which are in contact with the opposite side of the Dali.

The Singaporean-flagged container vessel Dali allided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. The bridge, which connects Hawkins Point and Dundalk, Maryland, collapsed into the lower Patapsco River, bringing all maritime traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore to a standstill.

Eight road crew workers, who were on break from repairing potholes, were present on the bridge when it collapsed. Two workers were rescued, five missing persons have been recovered, leaving one still unaccounted for.

The Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command includes the: U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of the Environment, Maryland Transportation Authority, Maryland State Police and Witt O’Brien’s representing Synergy Marine.