Baltimore bridge: Pete Buttigieg says shipping channel to reopen end of May
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg anticipates that by the end of May, authorities will have resolved the blockage in the shipping channel at Baltimore’s port.
The crucial channel, situated in Maryland’s Patapsco River, has been largely inaccessible since the Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed on March 26th.
The incident occurred when the 948-foot container ship, MV Dali, collided with the bridge, leaving it stranded in the Patapsco. Tragically, six individuals lost their lives while repairing potholes on the bridge.
Buttigieg assured the BBC that he is confident that work crews will have removed the vessel and cleared the wreckage from the channel by the specified deadline.
He acknowledged the significant impact of the six-week closure on supply chains, exacerbated by disruptions in the Red Sea due to conflict and weather-related issues affecting operations at the Panama Canal.
Despite these challenges, Buttigieg commended shipping companies, port authorities, and transportation firms for effectively managing the fallout from the bridge collapse.
Nonetheless, he stressed the importance of restoring normalcy to the port of Baltimore as there is no substitute for its permanent return to full functionality.
The US Army Corps of Engineer had previously said that the channel would re-open “on or about” 10 May, but officials have repeatedly warned of potential delays caused by weather and the extreme complexity of the clean-up operation.
The Dali was at the very start of a 27-day voyage from Baltimore to Sri Lanka when it lost power and struck the bridge, sending between 3,000 and 4,000 tonnes of debris into the wider Patapsco and leaving the ship immobile under shredded chunks of metal and concrete.
Authorities have recently unveiled plans to use precision cuts with small, controlled detonations to remove what remains of the bridge off the ship.
While four alternative channels have since been opened, the primary 700ft (213m) wide and 50ft (15m) deep shipping channel remains closed.
The MV Dali container ship remains stuck under the collapsed Key Bridge in Maryland’s Patapsco River.
Since the collapse, a “unified command” composed of the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Navy, Maryland authorities and specialised private firms has been working to re-float the Dali and clear the channel.
The incident is the subject of a criminal investigation by the FBI, which is looking into the circumstances that led to the crash.
A separate probe is under way by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
All 21 of the Dali’s crew members – almost all of whom are Indian nationals – remain on the ship. It is unclear when they will be able to disembark or head to sea.
The port of Baltimore is a key regional hub for goods ranging from steel and aluminium to agricultural equipment, and is used by car-makers including General Motors and Honda. Maryland Port Administration data shows the port handled at least 750,000 vehicles last year.
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