Dali Departs Norfolk Bound for China

After 176 days in Norfolk, Virginia, the containership Dali has finally departed. The ship gained worldwide attention after an incident earlier this year, when it lost power and collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. On Thursday, September 19, at midday, the Dali was seen leaving Norfolk, moving at around 10 knots. Three tugboats and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) escorted her out of Hampton Roads.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) said they were maintaining a 500-yard safety zone around the ship as it sailed toward Chesapeake Bay. The Dali is now headed to Ningbo, Zhoushan in China, where it is expected to arrive in 46 days, on November 4.

The Dali was riding high in the water, as shown by harbor cameras, with her container racks empty. The ship had been docked in Norfolk since June. Initially, after the accident in Baltimore, it was escorted to Portsmouth, Virginia, before moving to Norfolk. There, the ship underwent repairs and unloaded its cargo, finishing in late August. Its owners and operators informed the court that the ship would leave for China in mid-September for further repairs.

The ship’s departure does not mean the end of the story. Legal battles following the crash are expected to last for years. Just yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a $100 million claim to cover the costs of clearing debris and reopening Baltimore Harbor. The filing outlined various electrical system issues on the ship and poor maintenance, calling the accident “highly avoidable.”

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Maryland is also expected to file a claim for the destroyed bridge and its replacement. The City of Baltimore, businesses affected by the bridge’s collapse, and families of road crew workers who tragically died when the bridge fell are also preparing claims.

At this time, no criminal charges have been made. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has examined the ship but has not commented on its findings or investigation status.