November 18, 2025 — NTSB found that a mislabeled, loosely seated signal wire in the container vessel Dali’s high-voltage switchboard caused the ship’s initial blackout and loss of propulsion leading to the collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore, MD in 2024. In their preliminary report, the NTSB opined that routine infrared thermal imaging of the switchboard could have revealed the overheated, high-resistance connection prior to the crash that killed six and severely injured a seventh person. NTSB went on to recommend that Synergy, ClassNK, and the wider industry adopt infrared thermography as a standard preventive-maintenance tool for monitoring critical electrical components and detecting loose wire connections. Replacement of the Key Bridge is currently estimated to exceed five billion dollars.

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