eagleisland - Posted - 08/05/2025:  04:30:52

The owners of M/V Dali, which destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, is suing shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries, alleging that improper design of control systems caused the ship to lose electrical power before it drifted into the bridge. Story here.

rinemb - Posted - 08/05/2025:  06:24:24

Getting the drift that those with deep pockets and huge insurance policies will in the end share in some settlement? Wayyyyy down the road. brad

eagleisland - Posted - 08/05/2025:  08:17:31

quote:

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Originally posted by rinemb

Getting the drift that those with deep pockets and huge insurance policies will in the end share in some settlement? Wayyyyy down the road. brad

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Everyone with the slightest amount of skin in the game will ultimately be involved in litigation in one form or another. Curiously, the ship itself may have the least exposure of anyone, due to maritime liability laws that go back centuries.

And yes, wayyyyyyy down the road before this is all wrapped up. Healthy at 70, I may go to my grave before it's over.

Buddur - Posted - 08/05/2025:  09:20:32

Wow...there's a website exclusively for the bridge rebuild.

 

Key Bridge Rebuild

Bill Rogers - Posted - 08/05/2025:  11:32:00

As usual in these cases, the lawyers come out way ahead. Generally they get paid first, lest they take their bat and ball and go home.

chuckv97 - Posted - 08/05/2025:  13:32:03

improper design? …. that’s like blaming Mother Nature for a lightning strike.

- not knowing the details, of course, we all know things/assemblies/parts/physical entities have a tendency to conk out now and then, sometimes temporarily even if they've caused no issues previously.  Take my car radio, fer instance, it quit on me today ; just froze like a computer screen does at times... I couldn't even turn it off,,,, causing me to miss the weather forecast.....

There's a lawyer somewhere who'll take my case claiming undue hardship and emotional trauma. 

Edited by - chuckv97 on 08/05/2025 13:39:07

Owen - Posted - 08/05/2025:  13:51:25

Here ya go: high of 25 C today / 60% chance of showers / 14 C. tonight / 60% chance of showers.

Glad I could help out.   

[Not too sure 'bout the link (?) between Mother Nature and design though.]

chuckv97 - Posted - 08/05/2025:  15:16:42

^^^ Mother Nature has a system of interactions,,, so does a designed thing-a-ma-bob… at some time or other some of these interactions can be an irritant to humans. That said, MN is a superior system cuz humans didn’t create her.

eagleisland - Posted - 08/05/2025:  16:22:32

quote:

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Originally posted by chuckv97

^^^ Mother Nature has a system of interactions,,, so does a designed thing-a-ma-bob… at some time or other some of these interactions can be an irritant to humans. That said, MN is a superior system cuz humans didn’t create her.

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Too true. Those who haven't should read John McPhee's fabulous book "The Control of Nature," the first story of which tells the tale of human attempts to harness the Missisippee River. It's both wonderful scholarship and a gripping read.

The Key Bridge was built long before anyone anticipated ships the size of the M/V Dali passing under it. MN worked the way she always does, via basic physics, on a scale we still probably don't understand. All of the failures here - and there were many - trace back to humans, not to nature - other than the fact that when the power went out, the ship could no longer be steered. 

A very human failure.

chuckv97 - Posted - 08/05/2025:  16:40:53

Columbus lost control of the Santa Maria and “discovered” America... and so it goes

Francis Scott Key saw British cannon fire and wrote a song/poem.....

Joel Sweeney reportedly added a fifth string and..... well, you know...

Edited by - chuckv97 on 08/05/2025 16:45:20

eagleisland - Posted - 08/05/2025:  16:47:25

quote:

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Originally posted by chuckv97

Joel Sweeney reportedly added a fifth string and..... well, you know...

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As I said: a very human failure. 

chuckv97 - Posted - 08/05/2025:  16:49:19

STUD figmo Al - Posted - 08/06/2025:  03:56:32

Thanks fer the update Skip... :0)

Buddur - Posted - 08/06/2025:  07:20:50

Improper design of control systems, eh?

Not that the series of technical problems in the hours before departure and ultimate decision to leave port had anything to do with it.

eagleisland - Posted - 08/06/2025:  14:02:34

quote:

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Originally posted by Buddur

Improper design of control systems, eh?



Not that the series of technical problems in the hours before departure and ultimate decision to leave port had anything to do with it.

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Indeed.

Based on the prelim reports I'd be surprised if they prevail. But this is clearly one of those situations in which everyone sues everyone else, and prays for the four winds to blow them good favor.