The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has dispatched experts to the US to help investigate the Baltimore bridge disaster.
It said it contacted the US Coast Guard headquarters, the Office of Marine Safety and the National Transportation Safety Board, offering assistance as the flag administration.
The 9,962-teu Dali (built 2015), owned by Singapore-based Grace Ocean and chartered by Maersk, lost directional control while departing the Port of Baltimore and ran straight into a support pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, causing almost the entire bridge to collapse.
The MPA said that Synergy Marine, the technical manager, had informed it that Dali experienced momentary loss of propulsion just before the incident.
“As a result, it was unable to maintain the desired heading and collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” the authority said.
It added that the Dali, which was under pilotage at the time of the incident, was reported to have dropped its anchors prior to impact as part of its emergency procedures.
A huge portion of the bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River, plunging at least eight members of a construction crew into the water.
Authorities declared on Tuesday night that six individuals are believed to be dead, and the search-and-rescue mission is said to be transitioning into a recovery effort.
The incident has led to the closure of the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest on the US east coast. The wreckage from the bridge has blocked the main entrance channel of the port, leaving an estimated seven vessels trapped.
The MPA said the Dali is holding on to its position at the site of the accident and is in a stable condition. All 22 crew members are safe and accounted for.
Parts of the bridge are lying across the ship’s bow, which has sustained heavy damage.
