The Port of Baltimore has opened a third temporary channel for vessels to access the port whilst workers continue to remove debris from the Francis Scott Key Bridge following its collapse after being hit by a cargo ship.
The channel expands shipping access to the port particularly for “commercially essential vessels” whilst collapsed sections of the bridge are being salvaged before it can be rebuilt, reported port officials.
The new channel is located to the northeast of the collapsed bridge, according to The Independent.
Coast Guard and Port Captain David O’Connell highlighted the benefits of the new temporary route. With a depth of 20 feet (6.1 metres), horizontal clearance of 300 feet (91.4 metres), and vertical clearance of 135 feet (41.2 metres), this route reportedly enables a wider range of vessels to reach the port, reported The Independent.
According to O’Connell, the new channel will allow the return of roughly 15 per cent of pre-collapsed commercial activity for the port.
The first temporary channel opened on 1 April after the bridge collapsed in early March, and officials are looking to open a fourth by month’s end to restore maritime traffic at Baltimore, reported The Independent.
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Workers are still labouring to remove tonnes of debris from the Dali, the vessel that struck the bridge leading to its collapse. According to The Independent, six roadwork crew members on the bridge have died with two of their bodies yet to be retrieved.
Workers have managed to remove around 1,300 tonnes of steel with the help of massive cranes. The Independent reported that the cargo ship must be cleared of all debris before it can be brought back to the port.
