Current:Home > ContactBaltimore shipping channel fully reopens after bridge collapse -ProfitEdge
Baltimore shipping channel fully reopens after bridge collapse
View
Date:2025-04-15 20:25:49
BALTIMORE (AP) — The main shipping channel into Baltimore’s port has fully reopened to its original depth and width following the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which blocked most maritime traffic into the harbor.
Officials announced the full reopening in a news release Monday evening. It comes after a massive cleanup effort as crews removed an estimated 50,000 tons of steel and concrete from the Patapsco River.
The channel was blocked by wreckage of the fallen bridge, which collapsed after a container ship lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns, sending six members of a roadwork crew plunging to their deaths. All of the victims were Latino immigrants working an overnight shift to fill potholes on the bridge.
The Port of Baltimore, which processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country, was effectively closed for several weeks while the wreckage was removed. Crews were able to reopen portions of the deep-draft channel in phases, restoring some commercial traffic in recent weeks.
On May 20, the wayward cargo ship Dali was refloated and guided back to port. The vessel had been stuck amid the wreckage for almost two months, with a massive steel truss draped across its damaged bow.
After the Dali was moved, crews opened a channel that was 50 feet (15 meters) deep and 400 feet (122 meters) wide. The full federal shipping channel is 700 feet (213 meters) wide, which means two-way traffic can resume, officials said. They said other additional safety requirements have also been lifted because of the increased width.
Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to normal capacity in hopes of easing the economic ripple effects.
The announcement Monday means the commerce that depends on the busy port can begin ramping back up.
Officials said a total of 56 federal, state and local agencies participated in the salvage operations, including about 500 specialists from around the world who operated a fleet of 18 barges, 22 tugboats, 13 floating cranes, 10 excavators and four survey boats.
“I cannot overstate how proud I am of our team,” said Col. Estee Pinchasin, Baltimore district commander for the Army Corps of Engineers. “It was incredible seeing so many people from different parts of our government, from around our country and all over the world, come together in the Unified Command and accomplish so much in this amount of time.”
In a statement Monday, Pinchasin also acknowledged the loss of the victims’ families.
“Not a day went by that we didn’t think about all of them, and that kept us going,” she said.
The Dali lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore for Sri Lanka in the early hours of March 26. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found it experienced power outages before starting its voyage, but the exact causes of the electrical issues have yet to be determined. The FBI is also conducting a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the collapse.
Officials have said they hope to rebuild the bridge by 2028.
veryGood! (176)
Related
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Hundreds of Swifties create 'Willow' orbs with balloons, flashlights in new Eras Tour trend
- 89-year-old comedian recovering after she was randomly punched on New York street
- Louisiana’s ‘Business-Friendly’ Climate Response: Canceled Home Insurance Plans
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Day of chaos: How CrowdStrike outage disrupted 911 dispatches, hospitals, flights
- Xander the Great! Schauffele wins the British Open for his 2nd major this year
- Trump's appearance, that speech and the problem with speculating about a public figure's health
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich sentenced by Russian court to 16 years in prison
Ranking
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Christina Hall Enjoys Girls' Night out Amid Josh Hall Divorce
- Investors are putting their money on the Trump trade. Here's what that means.
- Tech outage latest | Airlines rush to get back on track after global tech disruption
- The Super Bowl could end in a 'three
- Psst! J.Crew Is Offering an Extra 70% off Their Sale Right Now, Including Chic Summer Staples & More
- Salt Lake City wildfire prompts mandatory evacuations as more than 100 firefighters fight blaze
- Pelosi delivers speech to NC Democrats with notable absence — Biden’s future as nominee
Recommendation
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
Gwyneth Paltrow Shares What Worries Her Most About Her Kids Apple and Moses
Florida man arrested after alleged threats against Donald Trump, JD Vance
Miss Kansas called out her abuser in public. Her campaign against domestic violence is going viral
Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
Why Gymnast Dominique Dawes Wishes She Had a Better Support System at the Olympics
Louisiana’s ‘Business-Friendly’ Climate Response: Canceled Home Insurance Plans
Horoscopes Today, July 19, 2024