JFC: Francis Scott Key Bridge Destroyed

[ROB]

Spent a fair bit of time around largish sea vessels.

Fuckups happen a lot.

Ships stuck in gear, engines stop, ships losing steering etc etc. Metal shit just gets stuck in marine environments even when it's looked after (not to mention electronics). Add to that the thousands of ships doing critical stuff on any given day and big fuckups are bound to happen. Could be wrong, but that is where my money would be without knowing any specifics.

[Chimborazo]

These are strange times.

I just hope this wasn't an espionage hit through the net.

I'm no Captain, but I can promise you that you aren't cutting power to a ship from a laptop.

That movie sucked, btw, even with Angelina Jolie in it.

Everyone freaks the fuck out when shit like this happens. Nevermind the sheer amount of transport that goes on in the US daily. Like the train that went tits up in Ohio last year or so.

It isn't something global Putin, Nazi, ISIS, John Birch Society, SLA, Weathermen, CIA false flag all the time.

Sometimes shit just happens.

That's exactly what they want you to believe, man.

[gnaruki]

I'm waiting for the android cybernetic porpoises, hologram ship, and waterproofed nitroglycerin brought to you by a Rothschild conspiracies to crop up.

Until then I'll keep an eye on the boring stuff:

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/reinsurers-marine-market-to-bear-brunt-of-baltimore-bridge-collapse-80988297?

Reinsurers, marine market to bear brunt of Baltimore bridge collapse
SNL Image

The Singapore-registered container ship Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26. Rescuers were searching for at least seven people, authorities say, while two others were rescued from the Patapsco River.
Source: Rob Carr/Getty Images via Getty Images.

The collapse of a bridge near the Port of Baltimore will have major implications for reinsurers and the wider marine insurance market as one of the busiest ports in the mid-Atlantic grinds to a halt.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge fell into the water early in the morning of March 26 after being struck by a cargo ship departing the port for Colombo, Sri Lanka. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency, and emergency personnel undertook rescue efforts.

Crew onboard the Singapore-registered container ship Dali notified the Maryland Department of Transportation just before the accident that they had lost control of the vessel and that a collision with the bridge was possible, according to media reports.

While the accident will generate a complex web of claims and liability that may take years to untangle, the financial fallout is expected to fall heavily on the reinsurance industry.

"No doubt both marine insurers and reinsurers will be involved with this loss," said Loretta Worters, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute.

Liability lessons

The Dali is owned by Grace Ocean Pte. Ltd., managed by Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd. and covered by The Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Ltd., or Britannia P&I Club. Protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs are mutual insurance organizations that insure and pool liability for the global shipping industry.

All crew members and the two pilots operating the Dali have been accounted for, according to a statement from a Britannia P&I Club spokesperson. The statement noted that the "exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined."

The value of the bridge itself could be about $1.2 billion; it is not yet known if the insured limit on the property placement will fully cover replacement, Worters said. Insurance Insider reported that Chubb Ltd. is the lead insurer of the bridge itself, but any claims are likely to be subrogated to the shipowner's insurance.

The incident will impact the International Group of P&I Associations the hardest, according to Worters, who said the group has significant reinsurance coverage, led by AXA XL. Worters also said it was her understanding that Aon PLC covers the bridges and tunnels property placement for the State of Maryland.

Claims complexity

Severity has yet to be determined, but the accident will affect several different lines of business.

Bridges are typically covered under the inland marine insurance market, Worters said. Liability insurance also protects bridge owners from legal claims arising from accidents and injuries.

Business interruption insurance could also be a factor as it also serves to offset loss of revenue or costs incurred during repair or reconstruction of the bridge, Worters said.

"This collapse is likely to cause huge disruption both for shipping ... as well as roads so there could be supply chain issues," said Worters.

Liability lawsuits are surely coming down the pike for losses stemming from injuries and fatalities.

"There is also clean up from the debris and reconstruction costs, which will be massive," Worters said.

There is not expected to be the huge environmental impact associated with, for instance, an oil tanker running aground. Britannia P&I Club said in its statement that no pollution had been associated with the incident.

The incident bears some similarity to the May 1980 collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, Fla. In that incident, the M/V Summit Venture collided with one of the bridge's supports during a storm in Tampa Bay, sending a 1,200-foot section of the bridge into the bay below, killing 35 people.

[Kurt]

Here is how the ship could have had power shut down remotely:

Purposefully integrate ship's wireless system that is internet enabled to interact with the power generation and transmission system onboard.

Run default passwords on the SCADA system

Disable Alarms via the SCADA system

Do an Emergency stop on power.

Now, most of the time anything with Emergency stop enabled is not going to have that enabled for remote access, it is going to be a big red button under a Lexan box and that box has a battery and an alarm that rings everywhere when opened. It is usually there in case there is a fire or something where the main room has to be made safe before entering.

People have configured similar systems to be remotely accessable in the past, but I really, really doubt anyone did this on this boat. If it was someone had to over-ride every protection system so they could run a ship's power from their home laptop.

It's theoretically plausible but unlikely. Really unlikely.

[Alphabet]

These are strange times.

I just hope this wasn't an espionage hit through the net.

I'm no Captain, but I can promise you that you aren't cutting power to a ship from a laptop.

That movie sucked, btw, even with Angelina Jolie in it.

Everyone freaks the fuck out when shit like this happens. Nevermind the sheer amount of transport that goes on in the US daily. Like the train that went tits up in Ohio last year or so.

It isn't something global Putin, Nazi, ISIS, John Birch Society, SLA, Weathermen, CIA false flag all the time.

Sometimes shit just happens.

That's exactly what they want you to believe, man.

TikTok is telling me that slow motion video of the collapse shows explosions at vital connections on the superstructure. Also, it's Russian retaliation for the CIA backed attack in Moscow. Or Ukrainians. Or Chicoms. Or Jan 6 political prisoners supporters.

Most reasonable theory I've heard so far was contaminated fuel. Which would explain the loss of power.

Seems like it would be overkill if were intentional. Baltimore harbor is so polluted one could throw a lit cigar in the water and that place would burn for 6 months.

[ROB]

Here is how the ship could have had power shut down remotely:

Purposefully integrate ship's wireless system that is internet enabled to interact with the power generation and transmission system onboard.

Run default passwords on the SCADA system

Disable Alarms via the SCADA system

Do an Emergency stop on power.

Now, most of the time anything with Emergency stop enabled is not going to have that enabled for remote access, it is going to be a big red button under a Lexan box and that box has a battery and an alarm that rings everywhere when opened. It is usually there in case there is a fire or something where the main room has to be made safe before entering.

People have configured similar systems to be remotely accessable in the past, but I really, really doubt anyone did this on this boat. If it was someone had to over-ride every protection system so they could run a ship's power from their home laptop.

It's theoretically plausible but unlikely. Really unlikely.

That is the thing. It's possible for sure, but there are about 100 different scenarios I would explore first if I were an investigator.