Donald Moskowitz: Require tugboats for transiting ships

The recent crash of the ship Dali into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore harbor, and the attendant loss of life, the destruction of the bridge, and the economic impact reminded me of mariner concerns for the lurking dangers to ships entering and leaving ports.

I served on 13 Navy ships that made many ports of call in the U.S. and foreign countries. As a conning officer and navigator I remember being on total alert as we transited harbors through designated channels. We typically maintained enough speed at about five knots to provide headway for steering, and we always had two to four tugboats assisting our transits.

The Dali was transiting at around eight or nine knots, which is too fast, and it did not utilize any tugboats. Its speed was excessive, but the absence of tugboats was the critical mistake. The tugs could have prevented the collision.

All port authorities should review their ship transit policies and procedures and require all major sea going vessels to utilize tugboats when entering and leaving ports.

Donald Moskowitz

Londonderry, NH