Baltimore to establish temporary alternative shipping route

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
1 Apr 2024 08:17

The Port of Baltimore, among the busiest in the United States, has suspended vessel traffic indefinitely following a cargo ship's collision with a main bridge, resulting in its collapse early last Tuesday.

The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge lies on top of the container ship Dali in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 29, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on Sunday that Baltimore would receive increased federal funding to aid in the response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. However, it remains uncertain how long the process of recovery and rebuilding will last.

The Port of Baltimore, among the busiest in the United States, has suspended vessel traffic indefinitely following a cargo ship's collision with the bridge, resulting in its fatal collapse early last Tuesday.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Dali container vessel measuring 948 feet collided with the four-lane #Baltimore bridge, leading to its collapse and resulting in vehicles and individuals plunging into the river.

Judah Levine from the digital freight booking platform,… pic.twitter.com/H8kownWceA
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 26, 2024

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) emphasized on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that the situation is not solely a catastrophe for Baltimore or Maryland but also a national economic crisis. He stressed the urgency of revitalizing the American economy swiftly, highlighting the crucial role of the Port of Baltimore in broader economic development.

The Captain of the Port is preparing to create a temporary alternative route near the bridge's northeast side within the main channel area for commercially essential vessels, as per a statement released Sunday night by the Unified Command, a collective body of agencies formed to address the bridge collapse.

This initiative is part of a gradual strategy to reopen the main channel. However, the statement did not specify the criteria for determining eligible vessels for this route or provide detailed information on ship types. The temporary channel will be identified with official illuminated navigation aids and will offer a controlling depth of 11 feet, a horizontal clearance of 264 feet, and a vertical clearance of 96 feet.

Removing debris

Demolition teams initiated the cutting of sections on the north side of the collapsed bridge truss on Saturday, as outlined in a previous online announcement by the agencies.

Over the weekend, two crane barges, equipped with a 650-ton and a 330-ton crane respectively, were deployed on-site to facilitate the lifting and relocation of the debris.

Earlier on Sunday evening, a statement from the Unified Command indicated that three dive teams were conducting surveys on various segments of the bridge and the M/V Dali ship to prepare for future removal operations.

"We're using an authority called the Emergency Relief. This is through our Federal Highway Administration. That's how we got those first $60 million out and there will be more," Buttigieg spoke with CBS' "Face The Nation."

"I hope and expect this too will be a bipartisan priority," he said, highlighting the precedent of funding allocated for a bridge collapse in Minnesota back in 2007.

Buttigieg conveyed his message to doubtful lawmakers, emphasizing that the pitch is that their districts could face a similar situation, and historically, this issue has garnered bipartisan support.