We should all be able appreciate the sheer physics of riding on a nearly one thousand foot long cargo container ship. This ship is roughly the size of the Empire State Building. Trying to navigate the waters and bridges with this type of vessel is no easy task no matter the skill of the operator.
Much continues develop every day with the surviving structures of the bridge, the port of the vessel, and the hazmat containers. There are reports of several containers that have either entered the water or have been breached. The hazards in the area including the cold temperatures, debris, potential hazardous materials in the water all make navigating the waters challenging. There is also a reported sheen on the water at the scene. Containers have shifted and could be in danger falling. State and Federal agencies have been and are still on the scene with divers and drones. We are finding now that the minutes leading up the collision, alarms were sounded as the ship was out of control. Power was out and the major systems of the vessel were out of order.
According to the Baltimore City Fire Department, salvage continues to occur as waste is removed. The vessel data recorder is the recording device on the marine vessel that measures activity. These devices are not as good as black boxes but do provide data. Evidence from the engine room data would certainly help to diagnose the issues leading to any crash. Currently, the technology does not exist to show immediately if the failure was mechanical or electrical.
There are apparently international challenges that are potentially complicating which are that the parties involved are a Danish Company, an Indian Crew, and a Singapore flag.