Dali cargo ship passes beneath Chesapeake Bay Bridge on its way to Norfolk
Traffic on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was temporarily suspended late Monday morning as the Dali — a cargo ship that collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, leading to its collapse — makes its journey to port in Norfolk, Virginia.
Just before 11:30 a.m., the Maryland Transport Authority (MDTA) said that traffic was released on the Bay Bridge. The temporary hold lasted just under 30 minutes.
MDTA thanks Bay Bridge motorists for their cooperation and patience, as the M/V Dali passed beneath the bridge on its way to Norfolk. #MDOTScenes #MDShorebound pic.twitter.com/A6BOugUWg4
— MDTA (@TheMDTA) June 24, 2024
In an earlier statement, the authority said that it would be holding traffic on the Bay Bridge on Monday between 11 a.m. and noon “out of an abundance of caution,” as the marine vessel Dali passes beneath. The hold was expected to last 15-30 minutes.
Officials said the decision was made “in consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard” and that four tug boats are accompanying the Dali to provide anchoring support on its way to Norfolk. The Coast Guard is overseeing providing a 500-yard safety zone around the cargo ship during its trip.
For the last month, the Dali has been docked at Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal as it awaited approval for relocation and repairs in Norfolk.
The 984-foot Dali started moving shortly before 8:30 a.m. with four tugboats.
The Dali is scheduled to go directly to Virginia International Gateway to have roughly 1,500 cargo containers off-loaded to reduce draft, the Coast Guard said. The vessel is then scheduled to travel further to Norfolk International Terminal, where it is scheduled to undergo continued salvage and repairs from damage caused during the bridge collapse.
The Dali left the Port of Baltimore and drove past the site of the former Key Bridge after 9 a.m. WTOP’s Luke Lukert said the ship was “moving a lot quicker” than when tugboats escorted the ship back to port in mid-May.
The 170-mile journey to Norfolk is expected to take between 16 and 20 hours.
On March 26, the Dali had crashed into, and effectively destroyed, Baltimore’s Key Bridge after the vessel lost power and veered off course. Six construction workers on the bridge were killed in the crash, and it is predicted that reconstruction of the bridge will take years, costing billions for Baltimore and the state of Maryland.
What to expect
WTOP’s Dave Dildine said that westbound traffic might take a little longer to clear off Kent Island, since that tends to be the heavier direction on Mondays in the summertime.
Ahead of the traffic hold, Dildine said that avoiding the line at the bridge during the suspension should be pretty simple.
“Unlike stoppages for sudden severe weather, you can plan around the passage of the container ship,” Dildine said. “Assuming the schedule doesn’t change, plan to be at the bridge crossovers before 10:45 a.m. or after about 12:30 p.m. to avoid the backups.”
With so much media attention, Dildine said “it’s probably a good idea that traffic will be held, so drivers won’t be tempted to slow down, watch and take their eyes off the road.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.