[rellic]

very true.
Plus if you watched the exhaust got very black, indicative of a diesel under a very high load. they were trying to stop, but at that weight and speed no way, in that short of distance.
They were doing 12 kts.
Remember your physics, F=MV.

[central_va]

Plus if you watched the exhaust got very black, indicative of a diesel under a very high load. they were trying to stop,

Or speeding up to ramming speed.

[linMcHlp]

Surface wind was probably faster than general Balitimore readings reported.

The Dali containers are probably empty, and the net of that was, the sailing ship factor was greater than expected.

The moment of realizing there is a problem to avoid, and given the known navigational behavior of the ship (rudder capability), the helm was given a command to increase speed in order to increase rudder effect - in order to improve the ship position toward the center of the channel.

That tends to “kick out” the stern . . . before the ship is able to proceed forward into alignment with the intended, hopeful direction. With a “weak” rudder, that maneuver can lead to over-compensations - a bit of stern zig-zagging - before the ship straightens out into alignment.

The ship position did not improve, so the ship tried emergency reverse - too late.

My guess.

[grey_whiskers]

P=mv
F=ma