History, Starters, US Government Jonathan Milner History, Starters, US Government Jonathan Milner

How big is the Dali, the ship that destroyed Baltimore’s Key Bridge?

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. Approximately how many football fields long is the Dali, the ship that broke Baltimore’s Key Bridge?

  2. When fully loaded, the vessel, the Dali, can weigh more than 116,000 tons and carry nearly 10,000 containers of cargo. But in comparison with some of the other ships out there, the Dali is a featherweight. The current largest class of container ships in the world can hold more than twice the number of containers that the Dali can. How long is the biggest container ship in the world?

  3. According to the visual below* what has happened to the size of shipping containers over the past half century?

  4. Seven construction workers and an inspector were on the bridge when it collapsed. Two people were pulled alive from the water shortly after the bridge collapsed. Divers on Wednesday found two victims, officials said. The other four remain missing and are presumed dead. The bridge, a part of Interstate 695 and a critical transportation link on the Eastern Seaboard to one of the largest ports in the country, collapsed, and vessel traffic has since been stopped. Explain whether the federal government should rebuild the Key Bridge.

  5. The Dali has had 27 inspections since 2015, according to a database maintained by Equasis, a public site that promotes maritime safety. An inspection of the ship last year at a port in Chile reported that the vessel had a deficiency related to gauges and thermometers. Describe the liberal and Conservative positions about how tightly shipping should be regulated and how often ships should be inspected?

  6. The National Transportation Safety Board has begun an investigation into the crash. Jennifer Homendy is the agency's chief executive, managing an annual budget of about $129.3 million and more than 411 full-time employees across the country. The NTSB has five Board Members, each nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve 5-year terms. A Member is designated by the President as Chairman and another as Vice Chairman for 2-year terms. The chairmanship requires separate Senate confirmation. How does the NTSB exemplify the concept of checks and balances?

  7. The city of Baltimore, the state of Maryland, and the federal government have all been involved in search and rescue operations at the Key Bridge. Explain how the destruction of the Key Bridge illustrates the concept of federalism.

  8. Marine traffic around the Port of Baltimore is at a standstill after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday, an accident that is expected to disrupt shipping and supply chains. Baltimore's port is not the largest in the country, but it handles the highest volume of shipments of cars and light trucks. How do you imagine this disaster will impact you?

  9. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), most commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), (H.R. 3684), is a United States federal statute enacted by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on November 15, 2021. The Law will provice over $850 billion in total funding. President Biden is now asking Congress to spend another billion dollars on rebuilding the Key Bridge. Do you think rebuilding infrastructure will be an issue in the 2024 presidential election?

  10. Some 11 billion tons of goods are transported by ship each year - 1.5 tons per person based on the current global population. As of 2019, the total value of the annual world shipping trade had reached more than 14 trillion US Dollars. The main regulatory body of the sea transportation industry is the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nation agency. Some Americans would argue against abiding by regulation from international agencies, others would argue for more international cooperation. Do you believe American shipping should be regulated and overseen by an organization outside of the US?

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Tweet the President at President Biden (@POTUS) / X and let him know what you think he should do about the Key Bridge.

Get Creative

If American infrastructure were a tv show or series, what show would it be?

Learning Extension*

 
 

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