The U.S. Coast Guard is preparing a temporary, alternate channel for commercially essential vessels near the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, part of a phased approach to opening the main channel leading to the vital port, officials said.
Quick Read
- Coast Guard’s Temporary Channel: The U.S. Coast Guard is establishing an alternate channel near the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore to facilitate the movement of commercially essential vessels. This temporary route is part of a phased plan to reopen the main channel leading to the crucial port.
- Removal of Bridge Debris: Crews have initiated the complex process of removing steel and concrete debris from the site where the bridge dramatically collapsed into the Patapsco River following a collision with a freighter last week. Divers have conducted surveys, and workers are cutting the twisted steel superstructure.
- Channel Specifications: The temporary channel being prepared on the northeast side of the main channel will have a depth of 11 feet, a horizontal clearance of 264 feet, and a vertical clearance of 96 feet. The Coast Guard has begun deploying buoys to delineate this alternate route.
- Support for Marine Traffic: The opening of this alternate channel is a significant step towards reopening the Port of Baltimore, facilitating the continuation of marine traffic and supporting the flow of goods into the city.
- Assistance for Small Businesses: In response to the disruption caused by the bridge collapse, the Small Business Administration is opening a center in Dundalk, Maryland, to offer loans to small businesses affected by the incident, helping them cope with financial losses.
- Bridge Collapse Details: The incident occurred when the cargo ship Dali, on its way out of port, lost power and collided with one of the bridge’s supports, leading to the catastrophic collapse. This resulted in two workers’ survival, the recovery of two bodies from a submerged vehicle, and the presumption of four additional fatalities.
- Future Rebuilding Efforts: Officials are assessing the extent of the damage and considering how to reconstruct the vital bridge, which was an integral part of Baltimore’s maritime infrastructure. Aid packages are expected to be discussed by Congress to support those affected by the prolonged closure of the Port of Baltimore, a critical hub for automotive and agricultural equipment.
The Associated Press has the story:
An alternate channel is being prepared for essential vessels at Baltimore bridge collapse site
Newslooks- BALTIMORE (AP) —
The U.S. Coast Guard is preparing a temporary, alternate channel for commercially essential vessels near the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, part of a phased approach to opening the main channel leading to the vital port, officials said.
Crews have begun the complicated work of removing steel and concrete at the site of the bridge’s deadly collapse into the Patapsco River after a freighter collision last week. On Sunday, dive teams surveyed parts of the bridge and checked the ship, and workers in lifts used torches to cut above-water parts of the twisted steel superstructure.
The captain of the port is preparing to establish the temporary channel on the northeast side of the main channel. It will have a controlling depth of 11 feet (over 3 meters), a horizontal clearance of 264 feet (80 meters) and a vertical clearance of 96 feet (29 meters), officials said. A video released Sunday showed the Coast Guard dropping buoys in the water.
“This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” Capt. David O’Connell, the federal on-scene coordinator of the response, said in a statement Sunday night. “By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”
On Monday, the Small Business Administration is opening a center in Dundalk, Maryland, to help small businesses get loans to help them with losses caused by the disruption of the bridge collapse.
The bridge fell as the crew of the cargo ship Dali lost power and control on March 26. They called in a mayday, which allowed just enough time for police to stop vehicles from getting on the bridge, but not enough time to get a crew of eight workers off the structure.
Two workers survived, two bodies were found in a submerged pickup, and four more men are presumed dead. Weather conditions and the tangled debris underwater have made it too dangerous for divers to search for their bodies.
The Dali is managed by Synergy Marine Group and owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. Danish shipping giant Maersk chartered the Dali, which was on its way out of port when it lost power and hit one of the bridge’s support columns.
Along with clearing the shipping channel to reopen the port, officials are trying to determine how to rebuild the major bridge, which was completed in 1977 and carried Interstate 695 around southeast Baltimore and was central to the city’s centuries of maritime culture.
Congress is expected to consider aid packages to help people who lose jobs or businesses because of the prolonged closure of the Port of Baltimore. The port handles more cars and farm equipment than any other U.S. facility.
