A temporary auxiliary channel was established around the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, where a cargo vessel collided last week, and the initial vessel has now passed through it.
Early in the morning of March 26, the Dali container ship collided with the 1.6-mile-long (2.5-kilometer) bridge, resulting in the deaths of six individuals.
Captain David O’Connell, the coastguard commander of the Maryland sector, described it as “a crucial first step towards the reopening of one of the busiest ports in the United States,” the Port of Baltimore.
In the coming days, a secondary provisional route for deeper vessels will also become operational, according to officials, as debris removal efforts continue.
What transpired regarding the Baltimore Bridge?
- The vessel registered in Singapore, which was travelling towards Colombo, Sri Lanka, encountered a pillar sustaining the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the East Coast city of the United States on March 26 at approximately 1:28 am (05:28 GMT). The ship reportedly “lost propulsion” while departing port, and its personnel informed Maryland authorities that they had reclaimed control of the vessel, as reported by ABC News.
- As a result of vehicles traversing the bridge colliding with the Patapsco River, six labourers perished. Since then, only two bodies have been recovered from the water; the remaining four are still unaccounted for.
- The vessel was piloted by local individuals at the moment of the incident, as stated by Paul Wiedefeld, the Transportation Secretary of Maryland.
- According to authorities, all 22 crew members and the two pilots of the Dali were present, and there were no reports of injuries.
What is the Dali’s size?
- Its length is 300 metres (984 feet). Its vertical dimension would be comparable to that of The Shard in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and approximately two-thirds that of the Empire State Building in New York.
- More than 116,000 tonnes of deadweight are carried by the vessel, which also has a container capacity of nearly 10,000 20-foot equivalent units.
- Upon striking the Key Bridge, the Dali was transporting 4,700 containers.
What is the burden to the economy?
- Reuters reports that the port of Baltimore manages imports and exports for major automakers, including Nissan, Toyota, General Motors, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover, in addition to farm and construction equipment, sugar, gypsum, and coal.
- Portwise ranks ninth among the largest in the United States in terms of total commerce volume.
- The port handled approximately 50 million tonnes and $80 billion worth of cargo between the United States and other nations in 2023.
- During a briefing at the bridge collapse site, David Trone, the United States representative for Maryland, stated that federal and state authorities estimated the port’s suspension could cost the economy up to $15 million daily.
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What strategies are in place to eliminate the debris?
- The collapsed bridge truss has been being cut through by trained demolition personnel using specialised equipment, according to a statement issued by Mayor Brandon M. Scott on Saturday.
- The enormous floating crane Chesapeake 1000 arrived near the collision site on Friday. It can elevate one thousand tonnes of detritus.
- A 650-tonne crane and a 330-tonne crane are both actively operating from vessels at the location. The projected duration of the endeavour is two to three weeks. Tradepoint Atlantic will then utilise a 230-ton land-based crane to process the residue after it has been transferred by barge.
- A safety zone extending 1,829 metres (2,000 yards) has been implemented around the wreckage to bar access for personnel and vessels.
- Furthermore, measures were taken to create an alternate passageway on the northeastern side of the primary channel to facilitate the passage of “commercially essential vessels” on Monday.
- During daylight hours only, the new provisional channel, delineated with government-illuminated navigational aids, will be utilised for transit purposes.
- A second, temporary alternate conduit is currently being constructed by authorities on the southwest side of the primary channel. This second channel will accommodate vessels with a deeper draft.
