The Port of Baltimore is set to be reopened by the US Army Corps of Engineers by the end of April, following the collapse of the Key Bridge.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge fell into the icy Patapsco River after being struck by a cargo ship, resulting in the death of six individuals.
The USACE has unveiled a provisional schedule for the opening of a restricted access channel, aimed at restoring secure navigation in and out of the Port of Baltimore following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which obstructed the crucial waterway.
The Port of Baltimore will have a 280-foot-wide and 35-foot-deep channel by the end of April, which will allow one-way traffic for barge container service and some vessels that transport cars and farm equipment.
The USACE is striving to reopen the entire channel, which is 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep, by the end of May in order to restore normal port access capacity.
"Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, USACE commanding general stated in a press release that thanks to the Unified Command's extensive work during the past two weeks, including underwater surveys and detailed structural analysis of the wreckage, they have gained a better understanding of the immense and complex work that lies ahead. Their primary goal is to fully open a federal channel, and they will carry out this work with care and precision, prioritizing safety above all else."
Lt. Gen. Spellmon cautioned that the timeline is "aggressive," and factors such as adverse weather or increased intricacy of the wreckage could prolong the operation.
The USACE is working diligently to locate and recover the two missing victims in the wreckage.
On March 26, at approximately 1:30 a.m., six members of a construction crew were killed when the bridge they were working on collapsed. The cause of the collapse was a cargo ship, the Dali, which struck a support column on the Key Bridge, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River almost instantly.
The bridge disaster was averted as police managed to halt traffic entry right before the incident.
Every day, the Port of Baltimore generated approximately $15 million in economic activity before the bridge collapse.
In 2023, the Maryland Port Administration reports that the port is the busiest in the U.S. for car shipments, with over 750,000 vehicles handled. Additionally, it is the largest U.S. port by volume for handling farm and construction machinery, as well as agricultural products.
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