The sudden collapse of the Francis-Scott-Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, hit by an out-of-control container ship, is frightening. It is difficult to know if this tragedy is only due to the weaknesses of the ship flying the Singaporean flag. Certainly, the governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, assures that the bridge used every day by 35,000 people was
“
fully compliant with standards
”
. And it seems unlikely that such a structure could withstand a cargo ship like the
Dali
, loaded with 4,900 containers. However, experts question the strength of the bridge, several arches of which have been destroyed along a large length.
The tragedy affects a vital traffic artery for Maryland's capital, preventing vehicles from crossing the river and larger ships from leaving the port. Last year, 52 million tonnes of foreign cargo passed under this bridge. And the port of Baltimore, which saw 850,000 vehicles transit in 2023, is the largest in the United States for cars…
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