Crew still on board
The vessel carried 56 containers with hazardous materials, and 14 of them were impacted by the crash, according to a statement from the Unified Command, which includes the U.S. Coast Guard and the Maryland Department of the Environment.
An industrial hygienist assessed the containers and found that those affected by the collision were soap products, perfume products or not otherwise specified resin, the statement said.
First responders observed a “sheen” around the ship and established a containment zone to stop the sheen from spreading further in the river.
U.S. Coast Guard officials have said there is no immediate environmental threat and that response teams are visually inspecting water quality and collecting samples for testing.
“Pollution and debris removal operations are on-going,” the Unified Command said Thursday in a statement. “At this time, no atmospheric hazards have been detected and the unified command continues to ensure safety.”
The 22-member crew of the Dali, made up of Indian nationals, has remained on board since the Tuesday incident, U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Cynthia Oldham said. They were not injured, she added.
It makes sense that the crew will stay put for now, said Stephen Frailey, a partner with the Pacific Maritime Group, which helps with marine salvage and wreck removal.
The crew members are a key part of the investigation into what went wrong and the process of ultimately moving the ship from the wreck site because they know the ship’s systems best, he said.
If staying on board became a safety risk to the crew, Frailey said they would likely be evacuated and housed nearby so they can continue to work with investigators.
“It’s their ship; they have a responsibility to it,” he said.
The Rev. Joshua Messick, executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, had not had any direct contact with Dali crew but believed they are likely “profoundly rattled, unsure about their futures, probably worried, and since they don’t have internet they don’t know what the rest of the world is saying about them.”
The nonprofit was working to get access to the ship with the Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and International Transport Workers Federation.
Once they are able, the center’s volunteers plan to offer pastoral care and emotional support to the crew as well as more practical assistance, such as hot spots and SIM cards “so they can connect with their families,” Messick said.
Seven other ships are also stuck in the port, with about 150 to 200 people total onboard, Messick said. He and volunteers have visited each of those ships, taking those who can and want to go ashore into Baltimore.
Crew members may come ashore only if they have a U.S. visa and a shore pass; they also must be accompanied by an escort from the center. Usually, they go to a mall or Walmart for provisions, gifts to send home, and video games and other diversions for downtime.
They are often young and at the start of careers that will take them around the world and away from home for as long as 13 months at a time. They’re paid well compared to wages in their home countries but don’t make much by U.S. standards, and most of their money goes to support families at home.
“Seafarers work in dangerous and lonely situations at the best of times,” Messick said. “That was compounded in this case.”
Society doesn’t enough, he added.
respect
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Feds give $60M for bridge rebuild
The federal government is giving Maryland $60 million in emergency funds to rebuild the Key Bridge.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration said in a news release that the request was approved within hours Thursday and the $60 million in “quick release” emergency relief funds would be immediately available.