Relocating Containers from Ship for Baltimore Bridge Repair Access
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Recovery teams at the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse have begun the critical step of removing shipping containers from the vessel that struck the bridge, to allow access to the collapsed section of roadway. The Unified Command, which includes the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Maryland State Police, among others, aims to redevelop the bridge and reopen the waterway. The Port of Baltimore, a top destination for imported cars in the U.S., has largely been shut down since the incident, with a goal to restore full port traffic by the end of May.
Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse Recovery Progresses
Crews at the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site reached a critical stage on Sunday, initiating the removal of shipping containers from the vessel Dali. This crucial step allows access to a significant segment of the roadway lodged above the containers on the 980-foot Singapore-flagged ship. The ship lost power and collided with the bridge on March 26.
The Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command mentioned the container removal as a necessary measure for the safe extraction of the bridge pieces straddling the ship’s bow. This action aids in reducing the ship’s weight and eventually moving it.
Unified Command consists of first response teams, recovery crew, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and state agencies like Maryland State Police. Their joint plan is to reconstruct the bridge and reopen the waterway.
Of the six roadway workers present during the collapse, only three bodies have been retrieved, with the others presumed dead. It’s critical to move the ship to reopen the port to some traffic, officials noted.
Container removal, executed with a floating crane, is a vital step towards safely relocating the Dali and fully reopening the Fort McHenry Channel, according to a Unified Command statement. Photos released depicted a section of bridge support being disassembled.
There’s urgency to rebuild the bridge, which handled around 34,000 vehicles daily. Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed via social media that the wreckage must be cleared before reconstruction can begin.
Resuming traffic to the Port of Baltimore, virtually closed since the incident, is another priority. The port, a leading destination for imported cars to the U.S., has seen just 32 vessels pass since the collision via provisional, alternate channels. The location had accommodated approximately 500 container arrivals annually in recent years.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to establish a one-way shipping lane in the port by the end of April using a channel 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep, as well as fully restore port traffic by May using a 700-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep federal navigation channel. The bridge collapse has severely impacted traffic in and out of the port, although officials have managed to reroute temporary traffic through the waterway.
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