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Because ships and boats don't usually collapse bridges, it's usually the other way around when the two collide and the bridge goes unscathed while the ship is the one badly damaged.
When a semi trailer truck hits an overpass bridge that it can't fit under, it's usually the truck that gets demolished, not the bridge.
Not a fair comparison.
Tractor trailer loaded - about 40 tons
1000 foot ship loaded - about 150,000 tons
Interstate Highway bridges span about 50 feet for 4 lanes
Spans for water crossings vary but are about 200 feet, arches go 800 feet while suspension bridges span thousands of feet.
A long, cantilevered span over water hit by something nearing 4000 times bigger than a tractor trailer .... well ... you get the picture.
That makes sense, but how long are they expected to be in the way?
I suspect that salvage divers are making the assessment of what needs to removed to get a shipping channel opened as we speak. The US Navy was able to get some function out of Pearl Harbor relatively quickly after the attack.
This may sound like a stupid question but why can’t ships still enter the port in Baltimore? Isn’t there a longer route trucks can take to get the goods out?
I'm not sure if I'm understanding your question, but it sounds like you're asking about two separate issues.
1. Can ships get in and out of the Port of Baltimore?
No. The main shipping channel is blocked by the Dali, with an unknown amount of damage, and of the twisted remains of the Key Bridge. It's going to take some time to clear the wreckage and then figure out if the ship can be moved under her own power or if other measures will need to be taken. Inbound ships are stacking up in the Chesapeake Bay, and no doubt their owners are trying to figure out if they can turn around and go to another port or if they're stuck there. Ships already in the port are stuck there until the channel is cleared.
2. Can trucks get in and out of the Port of Baltimore?
Yes. There are several entrances to the port from different highways. Trucks that used the Key Bridge will have to detour, but there are several other entrances available. The port is currently open to truckers. No doubt the workers will finish unloading the ships that are there and send their goods off. I don't know if they'll then reload the ships now or keep the cargo in warehouses until the shipping channel is set to reopen. But once the existing inbound cargo has been cleared out, nothing else will be going anywhere until the ships can start moving again.
Because ships and boats don't usually collapse bridges, it's usually the other way around when the two collide and the bridge goes unscathed while the ship is the one badly damaged.
When a semi trailer truck hits an overpass bridge that it can't fit under, it's usually the truck that gets demolished, not the bridge.
Boats don't usually collapse bridges. Ships like this will. These ships don't just stop and concrete barriers and dolphins around them wont stop these ships.
A semi's trailer hitting a concrete overpass is nothing in comparison to a cargo ship which might have the equivalent of 5000 of those sitting on deck. Correct me if I'm wrong as I'm not a math genius but 5000, 40ft shipping containers containers would equal a 40 mile long train. There is no bridge in the world that will hold up to that.
Boats don't usually collapse bridges. Ships like this will. These ships don't just stop and concrete barriers and dolphins around them wont stop these ships.
A semi's trailer hitting a concrete overpass is nothing in comparison to a cargo ship which might have the equivalent of 5000 of those sitting on deck. Correct me if I'm wrong as I'm not a math genius but 5000, 40ft shipping containers containers would equal a 40 mile long train. There is no bridge in the world that will hold up to that.
I'm not an engineer, but I believe that these barriers are designed not to stop a ship, but to deflect it away from the support tower.
I'm not sure if I'm understanding your question, but it sounds like you're asking about two separate issues.
1. Can ships get in and out of the Port of Baltimore?
No. The main shipping channel is blocked by the Dali, with an unknown amount of damage, and of the twisted remains of the Key Bridge. It's going to take some time to clear the wreckage and then figure out if the ship can be moved under her own power or if other measures will need to be taken. Inbound ships are stacking up in the Chesapeake Bay, and no doubt their owners are trying to figure out if they can turn around and go to another port or if they're stuck there. Ships already in the port are stuck there until the channel is cleared.
2. Can trucks get in and out of the Port of Baltimore?
Yes. There are several entrances to the port from different highways. Trucks that used the Key Bridge will have to detour, but there are several other entrances available. The port is currently open to truckers. No doubt the workers will finish unloading the ships that are there and send their goods off. I don't know if they'll then reload the ships now or keep the cargo in warehouses until the shipping channel is set to reopen. But once the existing inbound cargo has been cleared out, nothing else will be going anywhere until the ships can start moving again.
Random thoughts:
I can't find any reports of commuters who were on the bridge at the time of impact. IMO, it is likely that what looked like headlights moving along the bridge were either the headlights of vehicles owned by the workers, or weren't actually headlights. It was reported that one vehicle barely made it off the bridge in time.
The carrier leaked/dumped toxins into the water and this will likely need to be mitigated. Quickly.
Sonar revealed an object that was the size of a tractor trailer underwater. WTH?
One of my sons called me to see if I was okay. I told him since I would rather drive an additional 100 miles to avoid going over a bridge, there was no reason for him to be concerned. Today, I read that some people who are afraid of driving over bridges are having full-blown panic attacks after learning of the demise of the Key Bridge. They are contacting their healthcare professionals for antianxiety meds. SMH
The Singaporean owner of the cargo ship is expected to invoke a law dating back to the 19th century that limits the liability of ships’ owners. This Limitation of Liability Act law caps the liability of the cargo ship’s owners—and their several insurers—at the value of the goods the ship was carrying plus the value of the ship itself.
The damages side likely will tally up to a big number. The damages side includes reconstruction costs, loss-of-life, loss-of-revenue for the Port itself, loss-of-revenue for nearby businesses that cater to the Port and even down to bars & restaurants where port employees eat & drink after work... plus a lot of other damages as well.
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