why are yachts not for sale in us waters

What does “Not for sale to US citizens, whilst in US waters” actually mean?

• By Mike Auton

This is a term that confuses a lot of people, from a buyers perspective it simply means that US import duties have not yet been paid and must be paid if a sale proceeds, whilst the boat is offered for sale in US waters . The duty is normally paid by the seller, but often forms part of the negotiation and many sellers will try and put the onus on the buyer.

No boat can legally be offered for sale, unless the owner can prove that import duties have been paid. As a buyer, you need to be VERY careful on this point particularly if the boat you are looking at is a FSBO (for sale by owner). Why so? Many private sellers do not clearly understand the law and will unknowingly sell you their boat, passing on a problem to you when it comes time to re sell later on down the line. I have seen uninformed brokers do the same thing, so beware!

As an owner of a foreign built boat (a great many cats are built in France or South Africa), you must maintain records to prove that duties have been paid, it is not enough to simply say that they were paid in the past. Without written proof, the buyers closing agent will not proceed with the sale until the seller either 1. Provides written proof or 2. Pays the duty owning.

Depending on who you talk to, a boat which has been continually sat in US waters for 7 years or more is deemed to have had duty paid. With that said, you still need written proof and this can be obtained through a CBP agent, but will require a good deal of work on the sellers part to obtain. You also need to be sure your closing company will accept this as concrete proof, as not all will.

Import duties are not the same as state tax. Using Florida as an example, if you intend for your boat to remain here, then you must pay state tax, currently running at 6%. You can obtain a cruising permit, if you intend to remain in the state for a period of 90-180 days. At the end of this period, you must remove your boat or pay the tax.

Why not just take the boat off shore to do the closing? This is a bit more complex than you initially perceive and when it comes down to it, very few sales proceed this way.

If you are looking at a boat which is not being offered for sale in US waters, there is no US import tax implication. However, if you plan to bring it to the US and possibly re sell it later, then you will face the same issue.

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• WHAT DOES NOT FOR SALE IN US WATERS TO A US RESIDENT MEAN?

Story by Andrew Holland / June 19, 2017

Written by Andrew Holland

As you are browsing through listings of potential catamarans to consider while you are online shopping, you may keep recognizing a familiar phrase for boats for sale that have you interested. Directly at the top of the listing you are looking at is a bolded “Not For Sale In US Waters To A US Resident”, but what does this really mean? As a US Citizen are you not able to buy the boat?

The language “Not For Sale In US Waters To A US Resident” must legally be added to listings for non-US Registered boats that are in US Waters under a cruising permit and placed for sale by the owner. As the current owner of the boat has not paid the US Import Duty on the boat, a sale cannot legally occur on the boat to a US Resident while she is in US Waters, and a broker cannot legally advertise the boat without making prominently clear that the boat is “Not For Sale In US Waters To A US Resident”.

Does this mean that a US Citizen cannot purchase the boat? No, not necessarily..

There are several ways a sale could occur on the boat you are looking at as a US Citizen. The first and preferred way would be for the seller of the boat to purchase a US Customs Entry Bond and pay the US Import Duty due on the boat. Exact rates of the US Import Duty would depend on where the boat was built and can range from .02% to 1.8% of the value of the boat.

The second way would method would be an “Offshore Closing” or a closing that occurs in the Bahamas or somewhere else outside of US Territory that is at least 12 nautical miles off the coast. An “Offshore Closing” transaction does complicate matters slightly as potential buyers for boats that have not been US Duty paid cannot board or view the boat while she is US Waters, so the transaction details must follow a strict protocol that abides by the laws of the United States. This will take the coordination and expertise of your broker for a transaction to be completed properly.

Many foreign flagged boats decide to delay paying the US duty on the boat while she is being marketed for sale in US Waters as to potentially sell the boat to another non-US citizen who can purchase the boat in US Waters without the owner having to pay the US duty prior to the sale.

Now, the Florida Yacht Brokers Association is proposing a change to the US law to allow owners of used foreign flagged boats in US waters with a valid cruising license to offer them for sale to US residents while in US waters, without paying duty, but to date this change has not been made. If and when these changes are made, this article will be updated to reflect the updated laws.

About Andrew Holland

• Can I Avoid Paying the Duty on my Boat?
• How Do I Import and Pay Duty?
• Seller's Guide To Yacht Sales
• How Much Will That Catamaran Really Cost Me?
• What Does Not For Sale In US Waters To US Residents Mean?
• Catamaran Depreciation
• What is an Offshore Closing?

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LET FOREIGN-FLAGGED YACHTS SELL TO U.S. RESIDENTS IN U.S. WATERS

• Posted 02-02-2015
• IYBA   Legislative  
• Industry   USA  

Why Is She NOT FOR SALE TO US RESIDENTS WHILE IN US WATERS?

The Florida Yacht Brokers Association’s (FYBA) 1,100 members requests legislative support to remove current restrictions in the cruising license that forbids offering used foreign-flagged boats for sale to U.S. residents while in U.S. waters. Florida’s marine industry is a $17.2-billion market sector, supporting 202,000 jobs. A Cruising license normally valid for one year is obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the first port of arrival in the U.S. and exempts pleasure boats of certain countries from having to undergo formal entry and clearance procedures.

Currently, boats under a cruising license, while in U.S. waters, are forbidden to offer their boats for sale to U.S. residents until the boat is imported and duty is paid on the appraised value.

Pre-sale duty is assessed on an appraised value rather than on the actual selling price. (This is like listing your house for sale and paying the transactional doc stamp taxes for an appraised value the day you offer it for sale instead of when it is sold.)

Only U.S. residents are prohibited from viewing these boats while in U.S. waters. (This is like having your house for sale only to foreign buyers while prohibiting American buyers the ability to view or purchase the house.)

When a boat is sold to a non-U.S. resident or doesn’t sell while in U.S. waters, duty is not due. (Currently owners have to import and pay duty on a boat in order to offer it for sale, then export it to apply for duty drawback to receive a refund of the customs duty paid.)

The current cruising license policy is discouraging about $2.46 billion in U.S. economic activity that could be generating thousands of well-paying American jobs.

Typically there are 300-400 used boats on the market (valued in excess of $2 billion) that cannot be offered for sale to U.S. residents while in U.S. waters.

Each of these boats spends an average 10% of its value annually on labor, goods, services, and maintenance, contributing about $200 million yearly to the local economy.

New buyers typically spend an additional 13% of the selling price on upgrades and improvements in the first year post-sale, generating about $260 million locally.

FYBA believes a less-restrictive cruising license, which allows used foreign-flagged boats to be offered for sale to U.S. residents while in U.S. waters, would benefit American marine-industry workers and generate additional state and federal tax revenue.

Removing the restriction to offer for sale will encourage more used foreign-flagged vessels to visit the U.S., offering their vessels for sale, creating well-paying American jobs.

FYBA recommends importation and payment of duty for used foreign-flagged boats the day a boat is sold, rather than the day it is offered for sale.

FYBA recommends the following federal legislative action: Pass legislation which allows used foreign-flagged boats with a valid cruising license to be offered for sale to anyone, including U.S. residents while in U.S. waters, as specified in 19 CFR 4.94.

Article Author: Jeff Erdmann

Article URL: https://megayachtnews.com/2014/10/fyba-allow-foreign-flagged-yacht-sales-u-s-residents-u-s-waters/#axzz3H5wrKbps

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We’re not asking to get any sort of forgiveness for paying the duty. We are requesting that the time of collection of the duty be changed to when the yacht is sold, rather than when it goes on the market.

It’s counterintuitive to pay the import tax on the value of a boat before you know what the actual selling price is going to be. A 1.5 percent tax is sizable and most yacht owners don’t want to pay duty just to put the boat on the market with the hopes of selling it to a U.S. buyer.

U.S.-resident master and crew are required for all large yachts, unless operating privately and outside of U.S. waters. A U.S. flag requires US corporate or private ownership, and the concept of nominee directors and shareholders is less understood and thus, less acceptable, essentially meaning that U.S. corporate ownership is more transparent.

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"Not for sale to US residents while in US waters"?

Discussion in ' All Things Boats & Boating ' started by Squidly-Diddly , Nov 28, 2016 .

Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/bod/5895396452.html is this the yachting equivalent of "car runs great, NOTHING wrong with it, buyer responsible for Smog Check"? (seller has been told by Smog Station it will be thousands) If this a tax dodge or an equipment/regs issue? If its an issue getting it past some US regs, what are the main issues that crop up, especially with a recently and professionally built $300,000 boat?  

The Q Senior Member

The only time I've come across that statement ( or actually it was not for sale to EU residents) was because the taxes weren't paid. I note It says finished with a world cruise in mind. I would think no taxes have been paid and the person who owns it was intending to leave your shores, but for some reason no longer can do so. I should add I built a boat while living abroad, and brought it back with me as a personal import, the Customs restriction was If I sold it with in 5 years, I would have to pay import duty and VAT (sales tax) on top of that.  

daiquiri Engineering and Design

Interesting. So, considerig the boat's current position, the deal can only be made in Canadian waters. Perhaps the seller is a Canadian citizen, and the boat is just moored in a Chicago marina. In that case, selling it to a US citizen in US waters could raise some customs or additional tax issue?  

Mr Efficiency Senior Member

Maybe ask the seller.  

mydauphin Senior Member

I see this all the time, it is very common in large $ yachts. Many rich people don't want IRS knowing what they do.  

BKay Junior Member

I understood this to mean the vessel was built in some location where an import duty would be required and has not been paid. It could be that the boat is in country on a cruising permit or is registered to an offshore entity. I further understood that a foreign individual could purchase the boat in US waters legally or an "offshore closing" with a US residen could be transacted. But if a US resident conducted an offshore closing then registered the boat in the US, they would be responsible for the import duty.  

WestVanHan Not a Senior Member

Bkay has it right. Non-US registered boats that are in US boats under a cruising permit and no US Import Duties have been paid.Any broker has to advertise this fact. But a US citizen can buy it,best way is they have to pay the US Customs Entry Bond and US Import Duty. Depends on where it was built it can be almost nothing up to about 2% IIRC. There's another way it's called "offshore sale" or some such thing, but IIRC the potential buyer cannot even set foot nor even view the boat while in US waters. Different paperwork and fooling about etc. Or one could start up an LLC or offshore trust,and the LLC/trust owns the boat,and you purchase the LLC/trust. Much more fiddling about. I sold a bunch of boats boats into the US when the exchange rate was favourable to do so.  

WestVanHan said: ↑ Bkay has it right. Non-US registered boats that are in US boats under a cruising permit and no US Import Duties have been paid.Any broker has to advertise this fact. But a US citizen can buy it,best way is they have to pay the US Customs Entry Bond and US Import Duty. Depends on where it was built it can be almost nothing up to about 2% IIRC. There's another way it's called "offshore sale" or some such thing, but IIRC the potential buyer cannot even set foot nor even view the boat while in US waters. Different paperwork and fooling about etc. Or one could start up an LLC or offshore trust,and the LLC/trust owns the boat,and you purchase the LLC/trust. Much more fiddling about. I sold a bunch of boats boats into the US when the exchange rate was favourable to do so. Click to expand...

Danger... many years ago... and probably still happens. International crooks sell basically stolen boats with fake paperwork. Many in the old drug business would buy and sell these. So always make sure you know the real history of a boat.  

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Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

- I've looked at some other ads of this boat for more info . . . Sailboat Listings ---> 40' Fusion 40 Flag of Registry: Canada Not for sale to U.S. residents while in U.S. waters Click to expand...

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What are the rules for chartering a yacht in the USA?

By Editorial Team |   10 March 2022 2022-03-10

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The USA boasts some of the most diverse cruising grounds in the world, attracting superyachts from far and wide to its glittering shores. If you are keen to discover more about what this amazing country can offer for a yacht charter , there are some important factors to bear in mind first.

In this article:

Types of charters in the US

Crewed charters, bareboat charters, bareboat charter agreements, tax implications for the charterer, need more advice.

There are certain legal fundamentals of chartering a yacht in US waters which you may not be aware of. So, before you go ahead and book your superyacht rental in the United States, here’s what you need to know.

Without getting too bogged down in the legal minutae, simply put, yacht brokers operate two main types of charter agreements in the US; time/voyage (aka crewed or commercial) charter agreements and bareboat/demise charter agreements.

This type of charter agreement is operated for a specific  time or voyage . In general, the following applies;

• The yacht is deemed as being operated commercially
• The owner is considered to be carrying passengers for hire 
• The owner maintains primary possession of the yacht
• One contract agreement 

To legally operate crewed charters in US waters, the yacht must be; 

• US flagged, and
• Hold a coastwise endorsement 

To be eligible for a Coastwise endorsement, the yacht must either have been: 

• Built in the US, or if foreign built;
• Must be granted with a MURAD Waiver.

To be eligible for this waiver, a yacht must be more than 3 years old and owned by a US citizen or US entity (dependant on how it is structured)

Rules for crewed charters

• Can only carry a maximum of 12 passengers
• May not conduct commercial fishing, towing, salvage, or carry cargo for hire

The obvious benefit to crewed charters is that the owner is wholly responsible for the yacht throughout the duration of the charter.

These types of charters are similar to those you would undertake, say in the Mediterranean or Caribbean , in that you are renting a yacht with crew for a specific voyage or length of time.

All yachts that do not qualify under the commercial charter rules and wish to cruise in US waters are considered bareboat (aka demise) charters. 

This type of charter operates as follows;

• Applies to all foreign-flagged or foreign-built yachts not entitled to a MURAD Waiver
• Permitted to conduct charters in US waters, and between US ports
• The yacht is not legally considered as being used for commercial purposes

Rules for bareboat charters

• The charterer takes over the entire yacht without crew, therefore deemed to be operating as the owner for the duration of the charter
• The charterer is also responsible for the hiring of crew, in which the yacht's owner must have no involvement
• Two separate contracts are drawn up: one for hiring the yacht and one for the crew

In essence, a bareboat charter agreement’s main characteristic is that it places possession of the vessel in the hands of the charter party at the time the charter starts. In legal terms, this means the owner relinquishes “possession, command and navigation of the vessel” as to be “tantamount to, although just short of, an outright transfer of ownership.” 

The owner must also have no involvement in the crew selection, nor any ties to any company selecting the crew, which could be construed as enacting a measure of control over the yacht and thus contravene the rules of this type of charter.

The charterer in effect assumes all responsibility for the vessel and its activities – including an obligation to maintain or repair the yacht and return it in the same condition as it was at the beginning of their charter period. 

They are also responsible for crew selection and their remuneration for the duration of the charter.

Tax may also be due depending on the type of charter. For example, a yacht undertaking a crewed charter originating in Palm Beach, Florida will have no additional tax to pay. However, for a bareboat charter, tax will be liable at 7% of the value of the charter.

There may be other potential duties payable, which can vary from state to state. 

Overall, there are distinct benefits for chartering a US-flagged, or eligible, vessel. However, charterers with their heart set on a foreign-flagged yacht can still enjoy cruising the various destinations in the US, they simply need to understand the laws and what's at stake beforehand.

Planning ahead is key. This is where a good charter broker comes in, especially one with in-depth knowledge of the legal aspects of chartering foreign-flagged yachts in US waters.

If you need any further advice regarding booking a superyacht rental in US waters, then please reach out to a recommended yacht charter broker  who will be more than happy to help.

To compare the complete market, take a look at all luxury yachts available for charter in the USA . 

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Not for sale in US waters

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I've been window shopping for boats that I would like to look at in 3 years when I might be able to actually buy. On several boat ads I've seen the disclaimer of **NOT FOR SALE IN US WATERS TO US CITIZENS** on several boats, but the boat is located in Ft Lauderdale. What gives?  

Why don't you give us a URL to one of those ads? It might be owned by a Cuban national, or some other party that US citizens are not commonly allowed to traffic with. (How that would even get into the country, I don't know.)  

Here's this one. I can find more examples if you want. 2 Hulls Inc http://www.2hulls.com/yachts/main.asp?-vessel_basic_info.asp-&vessels_id=75771&curr_id=7  

Typically they are charter boats and therefore due to a law on the books - forget the exact name, is prevented from being sold for use in our territorial waters.  

this may be a wild example.... "no state issued title" I've got no idea other than I know of a couple of powerboats that didn't have a title (don't ask, too long of a story to get into, had to do with new owner circa 8 yrs old purchase never transferring title, old owner died, no state taxes paid, arrrgh) but they were sold, and then shipped overseas.  

This site seems to have the answer BoaterEd - NOT FOR SALE TO US CITIZENS WHILE IN US WATERS! Seems to be a tax dodge.  

http://stuartyacht.com/privatelabel/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?currency=USD&units=Fee This is an illustrative example of how this works from a boat for sale on yachtworldcom: Originally sold by the Sabre dealer in France, "Abyss II" has just arrived home from Europe! She is Belgian flagged and as such cannot be sold to US citizen's while in US waters. The easy solution is a closing in the Bahamas. YachtWorld.com Boats and Yachts for Sale  

There is also the issue of consumer protection laws that cause sales contracts to have additional unspecified stipulations that vary by state, product and/or amount of the sale. And a sale implies a contract even if there isn't one written up. The laws generally make some sense for an individual buying from a business but often not as much for a transaction between individuals. Selling something in the US that is or needs to be titled is a headache. If you have something you can easily and legally sell outside the US, I can see where it would be the preferred option.  

"She is Belgian flagged and as such cannot be sold to US citizen's while in US waters." Has Belgium made it to the US State Department's embargo list? Or, does Belgium prohibit the transfer of flagged vessels to foreign nationals? Andy, I have to disagree with you. Titling versus venue is never a headache if the seller and buyer pass the right papers at the time of sale. And the transaction itself is bound by the laws of the venue where it took place--regardless of the nationalities of the parties. The US courts and state courts would claim jurisdiction, just as much and perhaps more so than the courts of the parties home lands. By adding "more" to the mix, they only complicate things. It sounds more like a creative tax dodge is at work, perhaps EU folks washing the VAT around, or something like that. There's something peculiar here and so far, the only explanations seem to be from boaters ed: A tax dodge, or an illegal sale of a vessel here on a cruising permit.  

Not for sale in the US I bought a boat years ago from Belgium and there had to be paid an import tax. So my best guess is the tax has not been paid and it is here only on a cruising permit. Hence the not for sale in or to the US.  

I saw this in the case of a boat that sank in it's slip and was classified as a total loss by the insurance company. Since I am in SoCal the solution would have been to take delivery of the boat in Mexico. Too complicated and shady for me so I passed. Who wants to go into international waters or another country every time an ownership transaction takes place? How would such a boat be insured, etc?  

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Neil1 New Member

Hi team. Little Aussie here dreaming of bigger things have found a few US boat brokerages who in there advertisements quote "vessel is not available to US residents while in US waters". I suspect this is to do either with some kind of tax duty. Just curious and would like an explanation. Thanks all neil.

K1W1 Senior Member

Hi, This is used when non US Flag vessels are shown for sale. You have correctly guessed the reason.

PropBet Senior Member

Foreign vessel, advertised to US citizens through different channels or publications. Sake is typically consummated 3 miles off shore / outside of US Waters. And yes, taxes, or VAT is essentially the reason. Boat must stay off shore, unless of course you wish to flag it in the US and pay the VAT on it. (or enter temp. on a permit, which again, you'll pay for)

Thanks Guy's Much appreciated. Neil.

Ken Bracewell Senior Member

PropBet said: Sake is typically consummated 3 miles off shore / outside of US Waters. Click to expand...

Vodka / Tonic making it's way though to my post. *sale*

lightspeed72 New Member

I thought you meant that Sake was consumed to consummate a sale off shore...lol. Sounds very underground

MaxPower Senior Member

PropBet said: Vodka / Tonic making it's way though to my post. *sale* Click to expand...

Marmot Senior Member

PropBet said: Boat must stay off shore, unless of course you wish to flag it in the US and pay the VAT on it. (or enter temp. on a permit, which again, you'll pay for) Click to expand...

Ken Bracewell said: As I understand it the US doesn't really recognize anything over 300 as a private vessel and, as such, requires commercial manning and safety standards. Click to expand...

Marmot said: I believe we will see a similar change coming with those MCA Yacht Endorsed cereal box tickets that regardless of what the document says, cannot possibly meet STCW standards for commercial service in international trade. Click to expand...

K1W1 said: Hi, The bold text is is how it should read as I reckon my Merchant Navy Chiefs Ticket is worth the same as your USCG Equivalent, the MCA is the issuing authority in my case these days whereas it used to be the DOT, and before the flames start it ain't short for Doddery Old Tossers. Click to expand...

captbh New Member

Marmot said: The boat does not have to "stay offshore" or change to a US flag. If is is registered as a pleasure vessel it can immediately return to a US port and apply for a free of charge cruising license and spend the next year merrily hopping from US port to US port without legal hassles or other problems . http://www.moore-and-co.net/DOC061120.pdf The cruising license is issued specifically to allow a foreign pleasure vessel to "arrive and depart from the United States and to cruise in specified waters of the United States without entering and clearing , without filing manifests and obtaining or delivering permits to proceed, and without the payment of entrance and clearance fees, or fees for receiving manifests and granting permits to proceed, duty on tonnage, tonnage tax, or light money ..." http://www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2008-10-15-E8-24523 Click to expand...

Hi, It has always amazed me how the books were cooked to give Limitless such a low Tonnage figure. It was also built outside the US which is a further hurdle to getting it on the US Register in itself IIRC

K1W1 said: Hi, It has always amazed me how the books were cooked to give Limitless such a low Tonnage figure. It was also built outside the US which is a further hurdle to getting it on the US Register in itself IIRC Click to expand...

captbh said: It's not that the books were cooked, it's that the politians were........ well.... you know Click to expand...

Barin New Member

Neil1 said: Hi team. Little Aussie here dreaming of bigger things have found a few US boat brokerages who in there advertisements quote "vessel is not available to US residents while in US waters". I suspect this is to do either with some kind of tax duty. Just curious and would like an explanation. Thanks all neil. Click to expand...

Barin said: Neil, clearly this thread became very technical and for some reason commercial yachts fell into discussion. For clarification purposes: Assuming you live in Australia, you are free to purchase these boats, but more importantly, you are free to board and inspect them with the intent of purchasing it while they sit in US waters. The disclaimer you read does indeed refer to a vessel that has not paid US duties. For your purpose you can purchase the boat and either foreign flag it then get a cruising permit to use it in US waters or simply export the boat to wherever you wish. This is entirely separate from the State Sales Tax which varies greatly from state to state. **Recently the State of Florida passed an $18k sales tax cap** Typically most foreign built boats that are imported into the US through a dealer will have paid the duties upon entering because the duties will be calculated on the manufacturer's proforma invoice (dealer cost) less all parts and equipment that were built or sourced in the states (to avoid double taxation). If the boat comes is to be imported to the states at any point thereafter then it will have to pay duties on the then assessed retail value. Click to expand...

boblucas New Member

yachtbrokerguy Guest

"Care, custody, and control" by a licensed Florida broker satisfies the State of Florida for "use tax" but does not relieve the owner from paying import duty to US customs, allowing a foreign built and foreign flag vessel to be sold to a US resident while in US waters. If the foreign flag yacht was built in the US, the yacht can be re-imported as US built returned goods, with the payment of only a small fee. Then it can be sold to a US resident in the US.

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Watch CBS News

Why the U.S. hasn't joined the race for deep sea mining in international waters

By Bill Whitaker

March 24, 2024 / 7:30 PM EDT / CBS News

Something akin to the California Gold Rush is happening in the Eastern Pacific—an international mad dash, not for one precious metal but for vast quantities of minerals scattered across the ocean floor—vital for everything from electric cars to defense systems. To avoid a free-for-all, 168 countries—including China—have signed on to the United Nations' Law of the Sea, a treaty that divvies up the international seabed. Conspicuously absent is the United States, kept out of the race by a group of Republican Senators who say the treaty undermines American power. Despite efforts by five presidents, ratifying the treaty has hit a wall in the Senate year after year. With seabed mining set to begin next year, China is in place to dominate it. Now a group of former diplomats and military leaders is trying again to break the logjam in the Senate.

A thousand miles from U.S. waters—between Mexico and Hawaii—lies this patch of Pacific Ocean. It looks tranquil but it's a locus of fierce competition. To see what's at stake, you have to plunge to the bottom. See those potato-sized rocks? They're filled with cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper—some of the most valuable metals on earth. 

In 2019, we went along on a pilot expedition as a crew with Canada's metals company hauled its sunken treasure to the surface.

Bill Whitaker: There are that many of them down there?

Geologist: If they found a deposit with this much metal concentration on land, it would be a bonanza that nobody would stop talking about for years.

Today, the race is on for the estimated trillions of dollars of strategic minerals on the ocean floor, vital for next-generation electronics. Countries that ratified the Law of the Sea treaty, now are testing giant robots that vacuum the minerals from the sea floor. 

They're carving up and laying claim to parcels on the seabed covered with rich balls of ore. China has five sites—90,000 square miles—the most of any country. The United States? None: blocked from even putting a toe in the water by its refusal to ratify the treaty. 

John Bellinger: We are not only not at the table but we're off the field. The United States probably has got the most to gain of any country in the world if it were party to the Law of the Sea Convention, and conversely, we actually probably have the most to lose by not being part of it.

John Bellinger is a partner at the D.C. law firm Arnold and Porter. In 2012, he testified in favor of the treaty at Senate hearings as a former legal adviser to George W. Bush. He told us Bush was no fan of U.N. treaties but he supported this one, not only for codifying access to the deep seabed but also for safeguarding the free navigation of U.S. ships around the world. Bellinger told us support was so broad in 2012, he thought it would be a slam dunk.

Bill Whitaker: President George W. Bush was in favor

John Bellinger: That's right.

Bill Whitaker: U.S. Intelligence?

John Bellinger: Yes.

Bill Whitaker: Military?

Bill Whitaker: Major Business groups. Big Oil?

John Bellinger: And environmental groups as well. Hard to find any treaty or probably any piece of legislation that has such broad support.

Yet it failed. The conservative Heritage Foundation convinced 34 Republican senators to turn thumbs down, saying it would subjugate the United States to the U.N.

The law of the sea was sunk.

John Bellinger: It surprised me that a number of senators would tell us in the government, "We know better than you, uh we know better than our U.S. Military. We know better than U.S. Business."

Bill Whitaker: Does the American position make any sense to you?

John Bellinger: It honestly does not. The opposition was not on national security reasons or on uh business reasons. It to me seemed just a reflexive ideological opposition uh to joining the treaty.

Since 2012, while repeated attempts to ratify the treaty have failed, China has made deep sea mining a national priority. It already has a near monopoly of the critical minerals on land. Now, it's set to lock up the bounty on the sea floor. Ambassador John Negroponte—a former director of National Intelligence in the Bush administration—told us, China's aggressive actions should be setting off alarms.

Bill Whitaker: What's changed since 2012?

John Negroponte: The People's Republic of China and its more assertive behavior on the international scene, particularly in the South China Sea. And then with respect to deep seabed mining, they're eating our lunch. They've got access to five sites. Right now, we have access to none.

John Negroponte is one of a number of senior Republicans urging the Senate to reconsider and ratify the treaty. If it doesn't, the U.S. can't get a license from the U.N.-backed International Seabed Authority to mine the ocean bottom. It won't have a say in drafting environmental rules for mining the deep. Absent the U.S., China is the heavyweight in the room.

Bill Whitaker: So does it seem to you that we're just sort of giving this resource to the Chinese without any pushback from us?

John Negroponte: We are conceding. If we're not at the table and we're not members of the Seabed Authority, we're not gonna have a voice in writing the environmental guidelines for deep seabed mining. Well, who would you prefer to see writing those guidelines? The People's Republic of China or the United States of America?

Steven Groves: It just doesn't make sense to a conservative to say, "these minerals that are in the deep seabed are so important to the United States, we are done without those, let's put an international bureaucracy in charge of getting us access to them."

Steven Groves is a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation. He was a special counsel in Donald Trump's White House. In 2012, Groves testified that the U.S. didn't need anyone's permission to mine the seabed. His views haven't changed.

Steven Groves: What businessman in their right mind said, "I'm going to invest tens of billions of dollars into a company that I will then have to go and ask permission from an international organization to engage in deep seabed mining?"

John Bellinger: But no general counsel, no board of a company uh, if faced with a clear right under a treaty that says, "You can go and do this" or taking an action that's flatly contrary to the treaty of course the companies are going to say, "I want to take the clearly lawful route before I invest billions of dollars." 

Lawyer John Bellinger told us U.S. companies interested in mining the seabed want the legal guarantees of the treaty. But even as other countries move ahead, Steven Groves insists American companies are staying away—not because the U.S. hasn't ratified a treaty—but because deep sea mining isn't viable. 

Steven Groves: If China wants to go and think that's it's economically feasible to drag those nodules up to the surface and process them, let them do it. The United States has decided to stay out of the game. The one U.S. company that had rights to the deep seabed got out of the game, that's Lockheed Martin.

Bill Whitaker: U.S. companies will tell you it's because there's uncertainty.

Steven Groves: What U.S. companies?

Bill Whitaker: Lockheed.

Steven Groves: Lockheed is out of the game.

Bill Whitaker: Lockheed will tell you that their investors—

Groves: Lockheed quit.

Whitaker: their—their counsel all say, "If we don't have this treaty, we're not—we're not getting into this."

Groves: They're already out of it. They quit.

Whitaker: Because we are not supporting them in any way.

Groves: Well that's a business decision they made.

Lockheed Martin has not quit. The defense giant had rights to four Pacific seabed sites. It sold two and is holding on to two in case the treaty passes. But Lockheed told us if the U.S. doesn't ratify the treaty, it can't dive in. Ambassador John Negroponte told us the Heritage Foundation is standing in the way.

John Negroponte: What Heritage is saying is we don't even want to give 'em a chance. We have—we know the answer already. And I, you know, I think that's sort of hypothetical thinking. The pragmatic approach would be to say, "Okay, let us have access and see what happens."

Bill Whitaker: And we could end up being even more dependent than we are today on China for access to these minerals?

John Negroponte: If they end up being the largest producer and we're not producing at all that might place us in a—in a difficult economic position.

But national security fears of China's growing prowess in the deep are about more than mining. Last week, a letter signed by 346 former political, national security and military leaders, warned that China was taking advantage of America's absence from the treaty to pursue overall naval supremacy.

Thomas Shugart: Over the last decade and I've done the math, China has built 20% more warships by tonnage than the United States Navy has. They've built 160 warships, where the U.S. Navy built 66. It is a truly massive expansion in—in naval power.

Thomas Shugart is a former U.S. Navy submarine warfare officer and a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. He told us China is flexing its maritime muscle by claiming the South China Sea as its private ocean. It has challenged the treaty's navigation laws that ensure safe passage by harassing passing ships, including the U.S. Navy. It has fired water cannons at its neighbors, caused collisions, even flashed a military-grade laser at ships. Steven Groves at the Heritage Foundation says that's why the treaty is meaningless.

Steven Groves: It's China who is a party to the treaty who doesn't obey the rules of the road. They're the ones getting into near collisions with U.S. uh vessels in the South China Sea. The United States respects and adheres to international law. It is the Chinese who are the scofflaws here. And the idea that the U.S. joining the treaty would somehow change that Chinese behavior has no basis in reality.

Thomas Shugart: Every time the U.S. points at them and says, "You're violating the law," they very quickly turn back and say, "well you're not a signatory so what do you have to say about it?" We are in a messaging contest and an effort to win hearts and minds all over the world against what is clearly our greatest strategic competitor.

Former submarine Captain Thomas Shugart told us being outside the treaty undercuts American credibility, while China is laser focused on building its maritime power. He told us China's deep sea miners have a second mission: collecting information for the Chinese military. 

Bill Whitaker: The technology that these companies use to mine the seabed, do they also have a military application?

Thomas Shugart: Absolutely. If you're going to find submarines in the ocean, you need to know what the bottom looks like. You need to know what the temperature is. You need to know what the salinity is. If China is using civilian vessels to sort of on the sly do those surveys, then that improves, could improve their ability to find U.S. and Allied submarines over time as they better understand that undersea environment.

Back in D.C., Ambassador Negroponte's group is lobbying the Republican holdouts. We decided to call the senators who torpedoed the treaty in 2012 to see if anything had changed. We found their opposition as strong as ever. With the U.S. Senate locked in stalemate, China is forging ahead.

Produced by Heather Abbott. Associate producer, LaCrai Scott. Broadcast associate, Mariah B. Campbell. Edited by Robert Zimet.

Bill Whitaker is an award-winning journalist and 60 Minutes correspondent who has covered major news stories, domestically and across the globe, for more than four decades with CBS News.

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The Five Minutes That Brought Down the Francis Scott Key Bridge

When a massive cargo ship lost power in Baltimore, crews scrambled to control the ship and to evacuate the bridge lying ahead. But it was too late.

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By Annie Correal ,  Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs ,  Campbell Robertson ,  Michael Forsythe and Mike Baker

Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Campbell Robertson reported from Baltimore, Annie Correal and Michael Forsythe from New York, and Mike Baker from Seattle.

Follow our live coverage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore .

“Hold all traffic on the Key Bridge.”

The terse command from an officer in Baltimore’s busy commercial shipping port was one of the first warnings of a disaster that experts now predict will transform shipping on the Eastern Seaboard and change how ships and bridges function around the world. But after the cargo ship Dali lost power early Tuesday, there were precious few minutes to act.

In those minutes, many people — from the ship’s crew, who sent out a mayday signal, to the transportation authority police officers, who stopped traffic heading onto the Francis Scott Key Bridge — did what they could to avert catastrophe, most likely saving many lives.

And yet — no matter what anyone did — several factors made catastrophe all but inevitable. When a ship of this size loses engine power, there is little to be done to correct its course, even dropping an anchor down. And the Key Bridge was particularly vulnerable. As long ago as 1980, engineers had warned that the bridge, because of its design, would never be able to survive a direct hit from a container ship.

The collision and subsequent collapse of the bridge swallowed up seven road workers and an inspector who could not be alerted and pulled off the bridge in time; two were pulled alive out of the water, but four others are still missing and presumed dead. Two bodies were retrieved on Wednesday, authorities said.

Also caught up in the disaster were the ship’s 21 crew members, all from India, who had prepared for a long journey to Sri Lanka on the Dali. While none of them were hurt, they would be held on board for more than a day as the ship sat in the harbor, the ruins of the bridge tangled around it, as authorities began their investigation.

The accident, the deadliest bridge collapse in the United States in more than a decade, will have a lasting impact on the Port of Baltimore, with its 8,000 workers, and industries that rely on the port, which is the leading American hub for auto and other wheeled equipment, said Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. transportation secretary, on Wednesday.

“It’s difficult to overstate the impact of this collision,” Mr. Buttigieg said.

He compared the Dali, roughly as long a city block, to the size of an American aircraft carrier.

“A hundred thousand tons, all going into this pier all at once,” he said of the impact on the bridge support structure.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation into the accident, boarded the Dali on Tuesday night to gather documentation. They obtained data from the voyage data recorder, the equivalent of an aircraft’s black box, hoping that it could help investigators determine what led to the accident.

Mr. Buttigieg said that any private party found liable in the accident “will be held responsible.”

The ship left the Port

of Baltimore around

1 a.m. on Tuesday.

Ship called for

tugboats to return

Francis Scott

Alarms sounded on ship

Traffic onto bridge was halted

The ship hit

at 1:28 a.m.

Alarms sounded

Traffic onto bridge

Sources: MarineTraffic, Google Earth

By Agnes Chang, Weiyi Cai, and Leanne Abraham

It was about half an hour past midnight on Tuesday when the Dali, loaded with cargo containers, departed its dock, guided by two tugboats, as is customary. On board was a local harbor pilot with more than 10 years of experience and deep familiarity with Baltimore’s port, as well as an apprentice pilot in training.

The sky above the Patapsco River was clear and still, lit by a full moon.

At 1:25 a.m., after the two tugboats detached and turned back, the Dali had accelerated to about 10 miles per hour as it approached the Key Bridge. But just then, according to a timeline released by the National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday, “numerous audible alarms” started sounding on the ship.

For reasons still being investigated, the ship’s powerful propulsion system stopped. The lights flickered out.

The ship had a “complete blackout,” according to Clay Diamond, head of the American Pilots’ Association, who was briefed on the account of the pilot of the Dali. (The chair of the N.T.S.B., Jennifer Homendy, said officials were still trying to determine whether the power failure was complete.)

The harbor pilot noticed the ship starting to swing right, in the direction of one of the piers holding up the Key Bridge. At 1:26, he called for the tugs to return; he urged the captain to try to get the engine back up and directed the crew to steer hard left. As a last ditch measure, at 1:27, he ordered the crew to throw down the port anchor.

One of the tugboats, the Eric McAllister, turned around and raced back toward the ship.

But the failures onboard were cascading. The emergency generator had kicked on, sending a puff of thick smoke belching from the ship’s exhaust stack and briefly restoring the lights, radar and steering. It did not help. With no effective propulsion, the 95,000-ton ship had become an unstoppable object, drifting toward one of the most heavily traveled bridges in Baltimore.

On land, officers with the Maryland Transportation Authority moved swiftly into action. “I need one of you guys on the South side, one of you guys on the North side, hold all traffic on the Key Bridge,” someone is heard saying on the audio recording of emergency radio traffic that night. “There’s a ship approaching that just lost their steering. So until they get that under control, we’ve got to stop all traffic.”

Vehicles were held on either side of the bridge as the ship continued its inexorable drift toward the 1.6-mile-long span.

A minute later, the officers turned their attention to several workers, some of them immigrants from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico, who were still laboring on the bridge in the chilly darkness, taking advantage of the light traffic at night to fix potholes.

“There’s a crew up there,” one officer is heard saying on the audio recording of the radio exchange between officers. “You might want to notify whoever the foreman is, see if we could get them off the bridge temporarily.”

But even then, the ship was striking the bridge. Almost at once, the pier buckled and collapsed, twisting over the ship, with its cargo containers stacked high on the deck. Then the rest of the bridge went, breaking into sections as it plummeted and splashed into the dark river waters below.

“The size and weight of these ships make them really difficult, even with propulsion, to stop them,” said Stash Pelkowski, a professor at State University of New York Maritime College and a retired Coast Guard rear admiral. With no power, he said, “There was very little the pilot or the crew on the Dali could do.”

The collapse had happened in seconds. Except for the stumps of the piers, the central span of the bridge had plunged into the frigid river — where divers would spend the whole day searching amid twisted metal for survivors — by 1:29 a.m.

“Dispatch, the whole bridge just fell down!” an officer called out. “Whoever, everybody, the whole bridge just collapsed.”

Stray ships had long been seen as a risk to the Key Bridge. Just a few years after the Baltimore structure was constructed in 1977, a vessel crash knocked down the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Fla., killing 35 people.

Officials acknowledged that the Key Bridge would not be able to withstand that kind of direct hit from a heavy cargo vessel. “I would have to say if that ship hit the Bay Bridge or the Key Bridge — I’m talking about the main supports, a direct hit — it would knock it down,” John Snyder, the director of engineering for the state Toll Facilities Administration told the Baltimore Sun at the time.

But building a bridge that could withstand such an impact was simply not economically feasible, he said. When the bridge was built, cargo ships were not the size they are today. A much smaller freighter did hit the bridge in 1980 , but the bridge stood strong.

Minutes after the bridge collapsed on Tuesday, both tugboats that had accompanied the Dali arrived on scene, followed soon by the Coast Guard and the Baltimore City Fire Department.

Two of the workers who had been on the bridge were rescued from the water. The others could not be found.

Jack Murphy, who owns Brawner Builders, the company whose workers had been on the bridge, got a phone call about the collapse and raced to the area, about a 30-minute drive away. He stayed by the bridge all night, and eventually began making calls to the men’s families.

Two workers’ bodies were discovered in a red pickup truck found near the bridge debris, police said Wednesday. They were identified as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, an immigrant from Mexico, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, a native of Guatemala.

About two miles from the bridge, Andrew Middleton had been lying awake when he heard the crash. He first thought it was thunder, maybe a low-flying jet.

It was only when he awoke a few hours later that he saw the news of the collapsed bridge. “I thought to myself, I was just with those guys yesterday,” he said.

Mr. Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that ministers to sailors coming through the port, had driven the ship’s captain and a few crew members to Walmart on Monday to stock up on goods for the 28-day voyage ahead — toothpaste, snacks, clothes, Bluetooth speakers.

He recalled the captain telling him their next port was Sri Lanka, but that they were taking a longer route, down around South Africa, in order to avoid recent Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea.

Mr. Middleton immediately messaged the crew on WhatsApp after hearing the news on Tuesday, he said, and “they responded within a few minutes saying that everyone was OK,” he said.

Around the site of the bridge collapse, firefighters and rescuers in diving gear were swarming around the shore, followed by news crews. John McAvoy, who owns a nearby restaurant, had driven over with hot meals — chicken, crab balls and pretzel bites — to hand out to the crews.

But by nightfall on Tuesday, officials had called off the rescue efforts and said they would switch to searching for bodies. “The water’s deep, visibility’s low, it’s cold as I-don’t-know-what,” said Kevin Cartwright, a spokesman for the Fire Department.

The signs of all that had changed were only starting to become clear on Wednesday. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it was mobilizing more than 1,100 specialists to clear the wreckage of the bridge and unblock the Port of Baltimore’s shipping lane. In the meantime, Mr. Buttigieg, the secretary of transportation, said the East Coast would have to rely more heavily on ports outside Baltimore.

Mr. McAvoy said the tragedy would ripple over the port for years.

Fishing crews always have found their way home following the Key Bridge, he said. “It’s going to change a lot of things for a lot of people.”

Reporting was contributed by Daniel Victor , Jacey Fortin , Zach Montague , Eduardo Medina , Miriam Jordan and Judson Jones . Susan C. Beachy contributed research.

Annie Correal reports from the U.S. and Latin America for The Times. More about Annie Correal

Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs reports on national stories across the United States with a focus on criminal justice. He is from upstate New York. More about Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs

Campbell Robertson reports on Delaware, the District Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, for The Times. More about Campbell Robertson

Michael Forsythe a reporter on the investigations team at The Times, based in New York. He has written extensively about, and from, China. More about Michael Forsythe

Mike Baker is a national reporter for The Times, based in Seattle. More about Mike Baker

• International

March 28, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Antoinette Radford, Maureen Chowdhury , Tori B. Powell , Elise Hammond and Aditi Sangal , CNN

Our live coverage has ended. Follow the latest news on the Baltimore bridge collapse or read through the updates below. 

Here's what we learned from the authorities this evening

From CNN staff

The federal government has given Maryland officials the $60 million requested to cover the first steps of responding to  the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge , according to a Federal Highway Administration news release.

Federal Highway Administration chief Shailen Bhatt said the emergency funding would go toward removing debris, rerouting traffic and ultimately rebuilding the bridge.

Here's what else the authorities said in a news briefing this evening:

• Four directives to recovery: Gov. Wes Moore outlined four main priorities as Maryland looks to recover after the bridge collapse. The directives include: Continued focus on efforts to recover the construction workers presumed dead "to bring a sense of closure to these families," open the channel and restart traffic to the port, taking care of those affected, rebuilding the Key Bridge.
• Murky water conditions: Moore said the " water is so dark , and debris is so dense, that in most instances our divers cannot see more than a foot or two in front of them."
• Major resources mobilized: The Army Corps of Engineers is moving the largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard to Baltimore to help clear the channel, and it is expect to arrive later on Thursday evening, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said. Clearing the channel has been an important goal so trade and traffic through the port can resume. The Army Corps of Engineers plan to cover the full cost of clearing the channel where Baltimore's Key Bridge collapsed, Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Thursday.
• One larger vehicle detected underwater: There's at least one vehicle of a large size that has been detected underwater, and it is encapsulated by the superstructure of the bridge, concrete and other things, according to Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., the superintendent of Maryland State Police.
• Monitoring possible leaks and pollution: Over 2,400 feet of boom have been deployed to contain any leaks of pollution in the aftermath of the collapse of the Key Bridge, Moore said. Separately, 14 containers on the ship were impacted , and they contained items like soap and perfume, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said, adding that he did not have information on whether any of those materials went overboard. Air monitors are in place to track any potential threats and they have not picked up any threats so far, Gilreath said.

There's at least 1 larger vehicle underwater, official says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

There's at least one vehicle of a large size that has been detected underwater, according to Col. Roland L. Butler Jr., the superintendent of Maryland State Police.

"There's at least one vehicle, larger in size, that is completely encapsulated by the superstructure of the bridge, concrete," among other things, Butler said Thursday evening. "It's going to take some time to get to that, and it's going to take some time to do that carefully" before divers can go to recover that vehicle, he added.

2,400 feet of boom was used to contain possible toxic materials, Maryland governor says

There have been over 2,400 feet of boom deployed to contain any leaks of pollution in the aftermath of the collapse of the Key Bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Thursday.

He said he personally did not see any sheen on the water when he went to assess the situation on site.

Remember: 56 containers with hazardous materials were found on the vessel.

There are 14 containers on the ship were impacted, and they contained items like soap and perfume, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said at the briefing, adding that he did not have information on whether any of those materials went overboard.

Air monitors are in place to track any potential threats and they have not picked up any threats so far, Gilreath added.

Baltimore mayor says he remains hopeful bodies of other workers will be recovered

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Baltimore's mayor said he is still "hopeful" the bodies of the other workers presumed dead will be recovered.

Authorities announced on Wednesday they were pausing search and recovery efforts  for the four other workers presumed dead because debris made it unsafe for divers to continue. Once this next phase of salvage operations is complete and the debris is cleared, divers will search for more remains.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said that during the salvage operation, he hopes "we are able to recover those who remain missing and bring them home to their families.

The mayor said he directed his administration to work with the governor’s office “on any and every effort that must be taken.”

Army Corps of Engineers will bear the full cost of clearing the channel, Sen. Chris Van Hollen says

The Army Corps of Engineers will cover the full cost of clearing the channel where Baltimore's Key Bridge collapsed, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Thursday.

"We all recognize that getting the Port of Baltimore running again at full speed is a priority given all the jobs that are associated with it, all the small businesses, all the other businesses," Sen. Van Hollen said at Thursday's news briefing. "And as the governor pointed out, this is not just a Maryland issue, it's a national and global question."

The largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard is expected to arrive in Baltimore later today, governor says

The Army Corps of Engineers is moving the largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard to Baltimore to help clear the channel, and it is expected to arrive Thursday evening, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

"Under the leadership of Col. (Estee S.) Pinchasin, the Army Corps is moving the largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard to Baltimore to help us," Moore said at a news conference. "It is estimated that will arrive later this evening."

"It's a 1,000-ton crane coming around midnight," Sen. Chris Van Hollen said at the same news conference. "And another 400-ton crane coming Saturday for the operations to clear the channel."

The post was updated with information about the crane from Sen. Van Hollen.

Officials are assessing pieces of the bridge before they pull them out of the water, Coast Guard says

Officials working to remove the collapsed Key Bridge from the channel are conducting a full assessment of all pieces of debris before they can lift them out of the water, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath.

This assessment is critical in figuring out how to cut the bridge into the right size pieces so cranes can lift them out, he said.

“We are doing those assessments right now with underwater surveys, with engineering teams back in unified command,” Gilreath said, adding that the assessment is in coordination with several other partners, including the US Army Corp of Engineers.

“That is our number one priority is to reopen the Port of Baltimore as fast as we can, and do it safely,” he added.

Murky conditions are hindering divers' vision during underwater operations, Maryland governor says 

Water conditions are hindering divers' visibility as they conduct recovery operations, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Thursday.

"That water is so dark, and debris is so dense, that in most instances our divers cannot see more than a foot or two in front of them," Moore said at a news briefing. "So much of the operation is simply feel."

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Baltimore bridge collapse: What happened and what is the death toll?

What is the death toll so far, when did the baltimore bridge collapse, why did the bridge collapse, who will pay for the damage and how much will the bridge cost.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO REBUILD THE BRIDGE?

What ship hit the baltimore bridge, what do we know about the bridge that collapsed.

HOW WILL THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE IMPACT THE BALTIMORE PORT?

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Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Bill Berkrot

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Lisa's journalism career spans two decades, and she currently serves as the Americas Day Editor for the Global News Desk. She played a pivotal role in tracking the COVID pandemic and leading initiatives in speed, headline writing and multimedia. She has worked closely with the finance and company news teams on major stories, such as the departures of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and significant developments at Apple, Alphabet, Facebook and Tesla. Her dedication and hard work have been recognized with the 2010 Desk Editor of the Year award and a Journalist of the Year nomination in 2020. Lisa is passionate about visual and long-form storytelling. She holds a degree in both psychology and journalism from Penn State University.

Chinese state media stoked allegation Taiwan's president would flee war

Taiwan's outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen plans to flee in a U.S. plane if war erupts with China, according to an unsubstantiated report first published in 2021 and echoed in the run-up to the island's January 2024 general election.

Wife of Baltimore bridge collapse survivor says workers were on break in their cars when bridge came down

BALTIMORE — The wife of one of the construction workers who survived the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse says it’s a miracle he is alive as he doesn’t know how to swim. 

Julio Cervantes was one of eight construction workers on the bridge when the Dali cargo ship’s lights flickered on and off and crashed into a support pillar, sending the bridge into the Patapsco River in the early hours of Tuesday.

He and another man were rescued that day; the bodies of two more were recovered Wednesday. The remaining four have not been found but are presumed dead.

“All of the men were on a break in their cars when the boat hit. We don't know if they were warned before the impact,” Cervantes' wife, who did not disclose her name, told NBC News on Thursday.

Mere seconds after the Dali hit the bridge, it appeared to snap and fall into the dark water below.

“My husband doesn’t know how to swim. It is a miracle he survived,” the wife said.

Cervantes was taken to the hospital with a chest wound and was released the same day, his wife said. The other worker rescued Tuesday was in good condition and refused treatment, authorities previously said.

The remains of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, were recovered by searchers in the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday morning. They were found in a red pickup truck trapped under 25 feet of water near what was once the middle of the bridge.

Hernandez Fuentes , 35, was from Mexico and lived in Baltimore; Castillo Cabrera, 26, was from Guatemala and lived in Dundalk, Maryland.

Cervantes' wife said that her brother-in-law was one of the two men whose bodies were recovered Wednesday, but did not share his name. She said her entire family is of Mexican origin, and her nephew is among the still missing. 

“We haven’t been able to sleep, waiting for word if they’re going to find a relative,” she said.

Audio from dispatch radio, published by Broadcastify, captured the moment police officers rushed to stop traffic and close the bridge — a move that likely saved countless lives — and called for a warning to the crew working on the bridge. 

An officer on the dispatch audio said, “I’m not sure where, there’s a crew up there you might want to notify, whoever the foreman is, see if we can get them off the bridge temporarily.” 

Another officer replied saying that once another police unit arrives, “I’ll go grab the workers on the Key Bridge.”

But it was too late. Moments later, another officer said over the radio: “The whole bridge just fell down! Start, start ... everybody. The whole thing just collapsed.”

The collapse sent shock waves across the country, sparked supply chain concerns and broke the hearts of locals who considered the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which stretches a mile-and-a-half and carries Interstate 695, a city jewel. President Joe Biden has vowed to reconstruct the bridge as soon as possible.

An investigation into what caused the crash and subsequent bridge collapse is underway by the National Transportation Safety Board. It is anticipated to take one to two years .

George Solis reported from Baltimore, and Marlene Lenthang from Los Angeles.

George Solis is a national correspondent with NBC News.

Breaking News Reporter

LIVE UPDATES

Bridge collapse live updates: Capt. of the Port of Baltimore is preparing to open a 'temporary alternate channel' in the vicinity of the Key Bridge

The cargo ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday.

A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Six construction workers are believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below. The bodies of two of the victims have been recovered so far, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.

Latest headlines:

2,600 carnival cruise passengers rerouted from baltimore arrive in virginia, 200-ton piece of collapsed key bridge removed, still no timeline on when baltimore port will reopen: buttigieg.

• 1st portions of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge will be lifted Saturday
• 3 crane barges from US Navy arrive in Baltimore, 4th coming next week
• Freight nearly size of Eiffel Tower, shipping containers 'ripped in half as if they were papier-maché'

What to know about the collapse

The container ship Dali struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, partially collapsing the bridge , officials in Maryland said.

A local pilot was at the helm of the ship at the time, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said.

The crash appeared to be accidental , not intentional, officials said.

Two construction workers were rescued and six went missing in the immediate aftermath of the collapse, officials said. The bodies of two of the victims were recovered from the water on Wednesday amid ongoing search and recovery efforts, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.

Capt. of the Port of Baltimore is preparing to open a 'temporary alternate channel' in the vicinity of the Key Bridge

The Captain of the Port of Baltimore (COTP) is preparing to establish a temporary alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge for commercially essential vessels.

"This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore," said Capt. David O’Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, Key Bridge Response 2024. "By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore."

This action is part of a phased approach to opening the main channel. The temporary channel will be marked with government lighted aids to navigate and will have a controlling depth of 11 feet, a 264-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 96 feet.

The current 2,000-yard safety zone around the Francis Scott Key Bridge remains in effect and is intended to protect personnel, vessels and the marine environment. No vessel or person will be permitted to enter the safety zone without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated representative.

The COTP will issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners (BNM) via VHF-FM marine channel 16. Mariners are requested to monitor VHF channel 16 for the latest information.

Members of the public may not enter the safety zone unless authorized by the COTP or a designated representative. Those in the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions given to them by the COTP or a designated representative.

The first of multiple Carnival cruise ships rerouted from Baltimore due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge arrived at a port in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday

About 2,600 guests aboard the Carnival Legend returned from a cruise to the Bahamas, getting off the ship in Norfolk. The passengers boarded 70 buses and were driven four hours back to Baltimore, where many left their cars parked.

"When we left Baltimore, we had to go under that bridge," passenger Viktoriia Aldred told ABC affiliate station WVEC in Norfolk. "The bridge looked amazing and you go under the bridge and you're like 'wow.'"

Baltimore native Michael Lukoski told WVEC he heard the news of the bridge collapse while on the cruise to the Bahamas.

"When I got the news Tuesday morning … you couldn’t believe it," said Lukoski. adding that when he first heard of the bridge collapse "it was like, 'no way.'"

A 200-ton piece of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was removed Sunday from the vast debris field of twisted metal and concrete clogging entry to the Port of Baltimore, officials said.

Tons more wreckage as well as the crippled container ship Dali that crashed into the span and collapsed it still needs to be cleared, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told ABC News Sunday.

"We're talking about huge pieces," Moore said of the debris crews are cutting up and preparing to remove from the waterway. "I mean, just sitting on the Dali, you're looking at 3,000 or 4,000 tons of steel sitting on top of the ship."

The operation to clean up the disaster site and reopen the channel began on Saturday and continued throughout Sunday, officials said.

Moore told ABC News a timeline hasn't been set on when the channel will be reopened, echoing a statement from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Additionally, crews conducted a “grounding survey” on Sunday to “determine how hard the ground around the Dali is to inform the strategy for pulling it off," officials told ABC News.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday there is still no timeline for when the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge and the crippled container ship Dali will be removed so the Port of Baltimore can reopen.

In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Buttigieg said the Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy are bringing in a 1,000-ton crane and a 600-ton crane to clear the twisted debris from the channel.

Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Key Bridge recovery

"They have not wanted to speculate yet on a timeline because the operation is so complex," Buttigieg said. "It's not that you just have to remove the wreckage, it's that you have to do it in a way that doesn't cause portions of the bridge that are there across the water to shift. They've been under a lot of compression, tension; they could behave almost like a spring if they are not expertly managed."

In addition to removing the debris, Buttigieg said the 248 million-pound shipping vessel still poses a problem, saying, "Measures are being taken to stop the ship from swinging into the channel."

The secretary said part of the $60 million in federal funding released for the cleanup and recovery efforts will also go to the "acquisition, procurement and preparation for the new bridge."

He said that while other East Coast ports have been absorbing container traffic, the Port of Baltimore is uniquely designed to handle the bulk of automobiles shipped to the United States.

"So as soon as it can safely be reopened, that, of course, is a major priority that really affects our entire national supply system," Buttigieg said.

Top Stories

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Baltimore's Key Bridge is not the first: A look at other bridge collapse events in US history

Parts of the 1.6-mile, four-lane Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed into the Patapsco River after it was struck by a large cargo ship Tuesday morning.

Local, state and federal crews responded to the collapse and were searching for six construction workers who were on the bridge when the ship struck. Two people were rescued in the initial hours of the search: one unharmed and the other in "very serious condition," said James Wallace, chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department.

The Dali, the container vessel, was chartered by the major shipping company Maersk and was carrying its cargo, according to a statement from the company. It was slated to arrive early April in Sri Lanka, according to MarineTraffic, a global ship tracking service.

The bridge is not the first to have collapsed in the past 100 years. Here's a look at bridge collapses in recent U.S. history.

Live updates: Baltimore's Key Bridge collapses after ship collision; 2 rescued, search continues

1967: Point Pleasant Bridge in West Virginia

The Point Pleasant Bridge, colloquially known as the Silver Bridge for its aluminum paint, collapsed during heavy rush hour traffic on Dec. 15, 1967.

The 2,200-foot suspension bridge carried U.S. Route 35 and spanned the Ohio River, connecting Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio. Forty-six people died in the collapse, and two of those people were never found.

An investigation found the collapse was caused by a failure of one eyebar chain that had been noted in a preliminary report 10 months earlier.

The collapse led to federal regulations on the inspection of bridges and an increased emphasis on bridge safety through the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 , which established a National Bridge Inspection Program.

1980: Sunshine Skyway bridge in Florida

In 1980, the Sunshine Skyway bridge collapsed after it was struck by a ship. Thirty-five motorists and bus passengers were killed.

A 1,200-foot chunk of the bridge, which connected St. Petersburg and Bradenton, collapsed after the massive Summit Venture freighter slammed into one of its central support piers.

When a section of the bridge fell into Tampa Bay, it took a truck, seven cars and a Greyhound bus with it.

The Herald-Tribune, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported the crash happened during an intense thunderstorm , with winds reaching 80 mph and heavy rain. Visibility was near zero, according to local historians who made a documentary film about the collapse.

After the collapse, the freighter remained stuck beneath the bridge, with part of the roadway on its bow. Photos from the time show how one motorist was able to stop his car just inches from where the bridge fell into the water.

1993: Big Bayou Canot Bridge in Alabama

On Sept. 22, 1993, barges pushed by a towboat collided with the Big Bayou Canot Bridge near Mobile, Alabama. Just eight minutes later, an Amtrak passenger train derailed from the bridge. Forty-seven people were killed 103 were injured.

The towboat pushing the barge had made a wrong turn on the Mobile River and entered the Big Bayou Canot. In heavy fog, the towboat's pilot, Willie Odom, struck the bridge, which forced the end of the bridge span out of alignment by about 3 feet and kinked the track.

The accident is the deadliest train wreck in Amtrak's history and in Alabama railway history.

2002: 1-40 bridge collapse in Oklahoma

The I-40 bridge, which spanned the Arkansas River just southeast of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, collapsed on May 26, 2002, after a freight barge struck a pier supporting the bridge.

The captain of the barge's towboat reportedly lost consciousness, and the barge lost control and crashed into the pier support.

A section of the bridge collapsed, and 14 people were killed.

Victims and families settled a lawsuit with the towboat company, Magnolia Marine Transport Co., in May 2003 for an undisclosed amount.

Crews took about two months to rebuild the bridge − the estimate had been six months − and traffic resumed in July 2002.

2007: Mississippi River bridge in Minnesota

The I-35W Mississippi River bridge, also known as Bridge 940, spanned the Mississippi River just downstream from Minneapolis.

At the time, it was the third-busiest bridge in Minnesota, carrying about 140,000 vehicles a day.

It collapsed into the Mississippi River during the evening rush hour on Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145.

Several reports had cited problems with the bridge, and in 2005 it was given a rating of "structurally deficient" and possibly in need of replacement, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Construction had been taking place on the bridge weeks before, including joint work and replacement of lighting, concrete and guard rails.

According to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, the collapse was probably the result of a design flaw from thin steel gusset plates that helped connect steel beams.

2024: Bridge partially collapses in China

In the early morning of Feb. 22, a part of the bridge over China’s Pearl River in Guangzhou collapsed after a container ship collided with the bridge. Five people died and three were injured.

Four vehicles and one electric motorcycle fell off the bridge after the collision. The dead included a driver of an empty bus, the driver of the motorcycle and three people in trucks that went into the river, according to city officials.

“Improper operations” by the ship’s crew caused the collision, according to officials at the city’s press conference.

The container ship Lianghui 688 collided with the Lixinsha Bridge twice while navigating through the waterway. The city official said the ship hit adjacent bridge piers, leading to the rupture of the bridge deck over the space between the piers.

Based on reports obtained by online news platform Jimu News, the ship measured about 197 feet in length and 59 feet in height and transmitted its final position around 5:29 a.m. on Feb. 22.

Weibing Peng, an expert on bridge construction and collapse incidents from Zhejiang University of Technology analyzed the incident and told Jimu News that the ship first hit one pier on a diagonal course, then swung nearly parallel to the bridge and hit a second pier. The second pier tilted, resulting in the partial collapse of the bridge.

Contributing: Claire Thornton and Dian Zhang, USA TODAY

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