Baltimore bridge collapse: FuelTrust highlights bunkering activities of Singapore-registered “Dali”

Maritime technology firm FuelTrust on Thursday (28 March) responded to questions regarding Singapore-registered container vessel Dali, which crashed into the Francis Scott Key bridge at the Port of Baltimore, including its bunkering activities before the incident:

The recent incident involving the Dali cargo ship, which lost power and propulsion leaving port and struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing its collapse, has brought to light the vital importance of insightful fuel analysis and supply chain visibility.

Over the last 24 hours, we have heard from many ship operators, fuel suppliers, and insurers – all eager that such risks can be alleviated, recognizing that “good enough” on paper doesn’t always translate to safety at sea. 

The reality is that a more robust supply chain visibility, along with ship and engine-specific pre-usage analysis is going to be needed – especially as the industry is beginning to experiment with new low-carbon fuels and bioblends.

The Dali is not a client, meaning we don’t have the direct data on the fuel mix in its tanks and engine status, but our visibility to the fuel supply chain provides us some insight into the mishap. While we anticipate sharing more information soon, here’s what we’ve found thus far:

The Dali refuelled in Shanghai, followed by Korea, before heading through the Panama Canal to Baltimore. Our checks reveal no refuelling in Panama, supported by satellite data. In Baltimore, fuel was indeed taken on, but protocols dictate a waiting period for lab test results and additional time for fuel settling before usage. 

The fuel in use at the incident was Marine Gas Oil (DMA), a standard choice worldwide for in-port or environmentally sensitive operations. It met all required specifications by international and national authorities, tested by an ISO certified fuel lab to ISO 8217:2015 standards. Despite meeting test specifications, early indications from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) point to the loss of propulsion and power caused by fuel issues.

We do not yet know if the fuel was procured by the vessel charterer (Maersk) or by the owner (Grace Ocean), or the crew/vessel operator (Synergy Marine). The vessel did have an inspection citation in June of 2023 (in San Antonio, Chile) for issues with certain thermometers and gauges, but was passed for safety at sea use. Maersk has an incredibly robust safety regime, and Synergy has ISO certified crew and safety protocols. 

It is typically the charterer (the company leasing the vessel) responsible for fuel purchases and the fuel supplier’s (seller) assurance of the fuel quality to meet specifications, which the on-board test results appear to have passed. 

Yet, standard tests and certifications do not guarantee fuel performance for every ship in every condition. With a 99% success rate, the remaining 1% harbours extreme risks.

In 2023 alone, over 120 power or propulsion losses at sea were attributed to fuel issues. These often go unnoticed by the public, masked by the swift action of crews at sea, far from the public eye. When they do become visible, unfortunately, it’s usually due to catastrophic impacts such as this, where lives were lost, and likely billions of dollars of economic impact will be felt in the area. 

We will provide more information as it becomes available.

Related: Baltimore bridge crash: Safety investigation to include contaminated bunker fuel as possible cause
Related: MPA: Singapore-registered ship in Baltimore bridge crash passed previous foreign port state inspections

Photo credit: Baltimore County Fire Department
Published: 1 April 2024