The Port of Baltimore has taken a major step towards reopening for commercial ships with the opening of a deeper channel into and out of the port. The Army Corps of Engineers has opened three shallow, temporary channels under parts of the bridge, allowing some small craft and salvage vessels to enter and exit the port as the bridge is removed. The new 35-meter-deep channel will allow most ships to transit to and from the port. This puts the salvage effort about a week ahead of schedule, as officials previously said they aimed to open the deeper channel by the end of the month.
Five of the seven cargo ships trapped in the port, including a car carrier, will be able to exit via the new channel, officials said. Other ships are scheduled to enter the port, a crucial terminal for vehicle and coal imports and exports. The bridge collapsed after being struck by the MV Dali, which suffered a power failure. Six road workers maintaining Interstate 695 were killed in the collapse.
The port’s main channel, with a controlling depth of 50 feet (15 meters), is set to reopen next month after the ship has been removed. That will essentially restore marine traffic to normal. “We are going to work efficiently and we are going to work safely and we are not going to choose between the two,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said during a news conference Tuesday.
