The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) plans to hold a hearing in November to discuss a marine investigation report related to the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to a document from the Federal Register.

The hearing is scheduled to take place on November 18 in Washington, D.C., and will be open to the public, the document shows. 

Collapse of the Key Bridge

The Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River on March 26, 2024, after it was hit by the Dali, a 948-foot cargo ship, as it was leaving the Port of Baltimore. 

The bridge collapse killed six construction workers and closed the port for nearly three months. The closure prompted shipping delays and a host of concerns from businesses across the region. 

The crash also opened the door for billions of dollars in lawsuits. As of May, more than 20 entities notified the state of their intent to sue, the Washington Post reported. Others are planning to join the state in blaming the Dali's owner and operator for the crash. 

NTSB investigates Key Bridge collapse 

NTSB immediately began investigating the collapse and has shared several reports and interviews since March 2024. 

In a preliminary report published in May 2024, the agency detailed how the ship lost power four times in the 12 hours before the collision. 

That preliminary report also shared a summary of the information that NTSB collected during the on-scene phase of its investigation and detailed the contents of some of the 4,680 containers found on board the ship. According to the report, 56 of the containers contained hazardous material. 

Despite the reports, NTSB has yet to share any findings identifying the cause of the Key Bridge collapse. 

NTSB report details bridge concerns 

In March 2025, nearly one year after the bridge collapse, NTSB shared another report that faulted the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) for failing to conduct a vulnerability assessment. NTSB said the assessment would have helped identify structural risks on the bridge before the collision.

According to the report, if the state had conducted the assessments based on recent ship traffic, it would have been able to reduce the risk of collapse and loss of life. 

The MDTA maintained that the bridge collapse was the sole fault of the Dali ship and was caused by the negligence of the ship's owners.

"The Key Bridge, like other bridges in America, was approved and permitted by the federal government and in compliance with those permits," MDTA said in response to the report. 

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore argued that there is not a bridge in the country that could have withstood a strike from the Dali, deflecting blame from the MDTA and saying the Dali's operators were at fault. 

The report also directed the owners of 68 bridges across the U.S. to conduct vulnerability assessments to determine the risk they face from vessel collisions.