[SeeSharp]

A reporter interviewed a spokeswoman for the container company that loaded the vessel and were told that the ship had electrical problems while it was being loaded. Refrigerated containers have to be switched from their own power to ship's power when loaded aboard and that puts a load on the ships electrical system. The woman said the ship's power kept tripping off as they were loading reefers and the ship had to be supplied with power from the shore during loading.

Eye Witness Speaks of Dali Power Issues BEFORE Crash | SY News Ep315

Everything on or around the engine of one of those ships is electrically powered. The fuel pump, the water pump, the oil pump are all electric. It takes compressed air to start one and the compressors are electric. Even the engine valve train is hydraulically operated and the hydraulic pressure comes from an electric pump. Lose the generator and the engine stops.

The engines on these ships are usually connected directly to the main shaft. So to reverse directions they have to stop the engine (and the propeller), then restart it rotating backwards. Not a quick procedure.

The rudders on these ships are small relative to the size of the ship and have little effect without a propeller pushing water across them. The bow thruster has no effect at speeds above three knots (Dali was doing 8 knots), and bow thrusters take electricity to operate anyway.

This ship probably has four generators, but to me electric power still looks like an amazingly risky single point of failure and I'm surprised there aren't more accidents like this.

[george76]

The ship should stayed on the dock until the various electrical issues were solved.

Note Massive container ship that *lost power* near NYC’s Verrazzano Bridge days after Baltimore Key Bridge disaster.. They had 3 escort tugs but 3 more tugs were needed to bring her under control..