Kiggans mindful of port security in wake of Baltimore bridge collapse

Regina Mobley
·2 min read

BALTIMORE, Md. (WAVY) — What did they know, and when did they know it?

Those are the questions onboard the cargo ship Dali, which is now the subject of an FBI investigation in the wake of the crash that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge and killed six workers.

Monday, agents boarded the damaged cargo ship that was in the Port of Virginia days before the deadly crash.

Now, the feds want to know if there’s criminal liability.

A mangled mess sits atop the Dali as investigators, piece-by-piece, are recreating the circumstances that led to the crash. According to the Washington Post, on Monday, FBI agents boarded the ship, asking tough questions about whether the crew knew the vessel had potential mechanical problems that would have made it unsafe in the harbor.

“It was concerning,” said Rep. Jen Kiggans. “I mean, I know that ship was in Hampton Roads, at our port, the day before. So of course we’re concerned for the security of not only our port, but for the Atlantic fleet.”

Federal agents boarded the 985-foot Dali early Monday with search warrants that will allow them to collect ship data on what happened before during and after the fatal crash.

While the FBI is reviewing the facts, logistics experts are evaluating the parts and personnel needed to keep products moving. That’s where the Port of Virginia is playing a major role.

For April, the port will process an estimated 19,000 containers of diverted cargo that will be moved by truck.

“So, I’m thankful for the the extra efforts at the port in Norfolk for taking up the slack,” Kiggans said. “But of course, our job is to be mindful of security at the ports.

“But perhaps, this is just a reminder of just the importance that Hampton Roads plays our proximity to our East Coast Navy, and that we always need to be mindful of making sure we have the right security measures in place to prevent anything like this from happening in the future.”

To handle the additional cargo, Virginia International Gateway and the Pinners Point container yard are now open at 3 a.m. That’s three hours early.

And Saturday is no longer a day off, as the facilities are now open at 7 a.m. Saturdays.

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