(DCWatchdog.com) – Following the closure prompted by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, a wider channel allowing commercial ships access to and from the Port of Baltimore is due to open Thursday, marking a significant stride in restoring trade.
The Army Corps of Engineers has established three temporary channels beneath sections of the bridge, which enables small craft and salvage vessels to maneuver as the bridge is dismantled.
The new 35-meter-deep channel will accommodate the transit of most ships to and from the port.
Moreover, this advancement puts the salvage operation approximately a week ahead of schedule, surpassing officials’ initial target of opening the deeper channel by the end of the month.
Five of the seven cargo ships stranded in the port, which included a car carrier, will use the new departure channel.
Additional vessels are slated to enter the port, a pivotal hub for vehicle and coal imports and exports.
Unfortunately, the bridge collapse resulted from a collision with the MV Dali, which experienced a power failure, and six road workers, mostly migrants, maintaining Interstate 695, died in the incident.
The Dali remains grounded amid the wreckage as crews work to remove massive pieces of mangled steel that came crashing down onto the ship’s deck.
Following the removal of the vessel, the port’s primary channel, boasting a depth of 50 feet (15 meters), is slated to resume operation next month, essentially restoring maritime traffic to its usual flow.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) affirmed during a news conference, “We are going to work efficiently and we are going to work safely and we are not going to choose between the two.”
Plus, in a recent court filing, Baltimore’s mayor and city council called for Dali’s owner and manager to be held fully liable for the bridge collapse, which they said could have devastating economic impacts on the region.
They said the port, which was established before the nation’s founding, has long been an economic driver for Baltimore and the surrounding area. Losing the bridge itself has disrupted a major East Coast trucking route.
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