Baltimore's busy port fully reopens after bridge collapse, and a return to normal is expected
Authorities anticipate commercial shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore will soon... The main shipping channel into Baltimore's port has fully reopened following the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the death of six people. The disaster halted most maritime traffic through Baltimore’s busy port as crews worked around the clock to remove an estimated 50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco River. The cargo ship Dali was refloated and allowed officials to open a channel that was 50 feet (15 meters) deep and 400 feet (122 meters) wide. Some shipping companies had relocated their cargo to other ports due to the disaster. However, thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners saw their jobs impacted by the collapse. Maryland used about $60 million in federal emergency funds to open three smaller channels outside of the main one.
发表 : 10 个月前 经过 Associated Press, BRIAN WITTE, By LEA SKENE and BRIAN WITTE, By LEA SKENE 在 Business
Tugboats escort the cargo ship Dali after it was refloated in Baltimore, Monday, May 20, 2024. The vessel on March 26 struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse and resulting in the death of six people. Tugboats escort the cargo ship Dali after it was refloated in Baltimore, Monday, May 20, 2024. The vessel on March 26 struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse and resulting in the death of six people. Work continues to remove the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, in Baltimore, Monday, May 20, 2024. FILE - The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge rests on the container ship Dali, May 12, 2024, in Baltimore, as seen from Riviera Beach, Md. The main shipping channel into Baltimore's port has fully reopened to its original depth and width following the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to officials Monday, June 10, 2024. A boat passes near the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, in Baltimore, Monday, May 20, 2024.
Some shipping companies rerouted their cargo to other ports following the deadly bridge collapse in March. The disaster halted most maritime traffic through Baltimore’s busy port as crews worked around the clock to clear an estimated 50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco River, a roughly $100 million effort that involved federal, state and local agencies, officials said. Maryland used about $60 million in federal emergency funds to open three other smaller channels outside of the main one.
Companies that steered clear of Baltimore during the cleanup efforts will likely come back now that the channel has been returned to its original depth and width, officials said. The city’s port processes more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country.
All that rerouted commercial traffic “belongs in Baltimore today,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “We have every indication that that is what is taking place, but we will be reinforcing that expectation as we speak with players up and down the supply chains.”
But thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse and its economic ripple effects, which extend well beyond the Baltimore region. State officials helped establish several relief programs to keep people employed and businesses afloat in the immediate aftermath.
“Baltimore can count on us to stick with them every step of the way, and we will continue to have your back until the bridge is rebuilt,” he said.
The cargo ship Dali crashed into a critical support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of March 26, collapsing the span and sending six members of a roadwork crew plunging to their deaths. The ship had lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore for Sri Lanka. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found it experienced power outages before starting its voyage, but the exact causes of the electrical issues have yet to be determined. The FBI is also conducting a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the collapse.
The Dali remained stuck amid the wreckage for almost two months, with a massive steel truss draped across its damaged bow. On May 20, the ship was refloated and guided back to port. That allowed officials to open a channel that was 50 feet (15 meters) deep and 400 feet (122 meters) wide, big enough for most of the largest commercial vessels.
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