#mv dali

So I guess i just don't understand why a ship that large was going at any kind of speed that would enable it to crash into the bridge at 9 knots, whether under its own speed or from the currents.

Firstly, we're not sure how fast the ship was going at impact.

We will, at some point. Because there are like, six different investigating agencies and Reports Will Be Issued. But until then, I've seen various sources report speeds from 6 to 9 knots.

Normal harbor speed for a ship like Dali should be about 6 knots.

Note though, that even at 6 knots the ship's tonnage would have destroyed the bridge. It's not a matter of speed, but mass. Even a closure rate of 3 knots would just obliterate the supports -- they are not designed to withstand horizontal forces of that magnitude.

Reports are that there were two harbor pilots on board at the time of the accident. These pilots are local experts on Baltimore's harbor and the surrounding waterways, who join the ship when it enters the system then depart just before the ship reaches open ocean. It's unlikely they would have authorized an unsafe speed.