SINGAPORE – On March 26, a Singapore-flagged vessel, Dali, crashed into a bridge in Baltimore in the United States, after the crew lost control of the ship following its loss of propulsion.Although the vessel, which was being piloted, had reportedly dropped its anchors as part of its emergency procedures,This was due to the momentum from its initial course of travel, said Dr Kenneth Low, an associate professor and engineering cluster director at the Singapore Institute of Technology.
Typically, local pilots do not take over the steering of a ship, as this responsibility still falls on the captain and ship crew, added Roger. Ships need power to reverse the flow of travel, he explained. Due to momentum, a moving ship that loses power would need to travel for a longer distance than a powered ship before coming to a stop after anchors are put down.
He said such ships may, very rarely, experience blackouts during foul weather conditions in the deep seas, but it is very unusual for them to lose power while cruising in calm waters.