[llevrok]

I wonder if that is from the “bulbous bow” of the container ship?

[TXnMA]

"I wonder if that is from the “bulbous bow” of the container ship?"

~~~~~~~

Almost certainly so. And, as I expected, the sub-surface damage is forward of the upper hull / superstructure damage --- as predicted by this collision positioning study:

rlmorel and I did matching studies -- and (IIUC) we reached, essentially, the same conclusions:

1. No damage on the Fitzgerald indicates any forward displacement

2. The Fitzgerald exhibits massive "downward-smashing" displacement

3. The ACXCrystal shows no evidence of any aftward damage / displacement.

4. The USS Fitzgerald was traveling faster than the ACX Crystal while the two vessels were in contact, and may have been accelerating in an attempted emergency turn to port.

5. Fitzgerald "rode up on" the Crystal's bow protrusion, damaging Fitz's lower hull and heeling the Fitzgerald over to port.

6. The "heel-over" raised the Fitzgerald's starboard deck and caused the "downward-smashing" damage (clearly visible above) to be inflicted by the Crystal's upper bow.

7. Had the ACX Crystal had a bow lacking the forward underwater protrusion, the damage to the Fitzgerald would probably have been comparatively far less severe.

~~~~~~~~~~

I fully expect that, if rlmorel has any disagreement with the above analysis, he will "set me straight"... '-)