Chinese yard completes repairs on containership Dali

Fujian Huadong Shipyard in China has confirmed that it has completed repairs on the container vessel Dali, which suffered damage after it struck a bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, in March last year.

The ship arrived at the Port of Fuzhou in Fujian province in November 2024 to undergo major repairs.

Fujian Huadong Shipyard said that Dali sailed out of its facilities on Sunday, January 12, marking the completion of the nearly two-month overhaul.

On March 26, 2024, Dali suffered a power loss as it was underway near the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The ship ended up striking one of the bridge's pillars, causing the entire structure to collapse and sending people and vehicles into Baltimore's Patapsco River.

Six individuals who were on the bridge at the time and ended up in the water were later confirmed dead.

The ship was finally cleared to leave the US in September following initial repairs. However, additional repairs still needed to be undertaken in China due to significant damage suffered by the bow and the side thruster.

Even as Dali was cleared to sail, the US Department of Justice had filed a civil claim in the US District Court for the District of Maryland against Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, the Singaporean corporations that owned and operated the ship. Both companies have agreed to settle the suit through the payment of damages amounting to nearly US$102 million.