Seven days before a container ship collided with a Baltimore bridge, it received a large load of fuel from Centerline Logistics in New Jersey. The fuel included marine gas oil and very low sulfur fuel oil, which were tested for contaminants twice and found to be clean. Fuel contamination is suspected to cause power and propulsion failures on ships, but it is unclear if this was a factor in the collision. Experts caution that other factors could have caused the power loss on the ship, and fuel may not be to blame.
The fuel delivered by Centerline was tested and found to be within the acceptable range for impurities such as water, calcium, and zinc. The company offered samples of the fuel to the U.S. Coast Guard, but has not heard back. The NTSB is investigating the collision, including testing the fuel for contaminants. Maersk, the shipping company that chartered the Dali, declined to comment on the fueling process.
Experts are eagerly awaiting the results of the NTSB’s investigation to determine the cause of the ship’s power failure, which could be the result of multiple factors. The NTSB has not ruled out any facts in the ongoing investigation, and no definitive conclusions have been made about the role of the fuel in the collision. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation to prevent future incidents.
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