Dali Finishes Unloading Containers in Ongoing Salvage Operation.

Nearly five months after the fatal collision of the containership Dali with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, the offloading of the vessel has been completed in Norfolk, Virginia. The ship arrived in the Norfolk area on June 25, still largely loaded with a reported 4,800 containers out of its full capacity of approximately 10,000 TEUs. The vessel’s owner, Grace Ocean, declared General Average in April, requiring cargo owners to post security bonds before their cargo and containers were released.

The Dali has repositioned several times in Norfolk, including a move to the Norfolk International Terminal in July and a switch to the other side of the dock in August. The vessel’s movements are complicated by the fact that it has no working anchors due to damage sustained during the collision with the bridge. The USCG reported that the vessel would undergo temporary repairs in Virginia before eventually departing for the Far East for further repairs.

All but four crewmembers had departed the vessel before it left Baltimore, with some being repatriated and others remaining in Baltimore as the investigation and legal cases continued. A replacement crew took over staffing of the vessel. No timeline has been provided for when the Dali might depart Norfolk, as it will require additional repairs and recertification before being deemed safe for an ocean voyage.

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