Recovery teams at the Port of Baltimore have made strides in opening a second channel for smaller vessels after a bridge collapse and the stranding of a container ship. However, most commercial shipping remains blocked.
A team comprising the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the state of Maryland announced the clearance of a 14-foot channel, similar to the one opened on the opposite side of the wreckage.
The main channel, which is 50 feet deep, remains blocked since the container ship Dali lost power and collided with a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge a week ago, causing it to fall into the Patapsco River, resulting in six fatalities and halting major cargo shipping.
While two auxiliary channels have been opened for emergency vessels, tugs, and barges, officials must clear bridge debris before opening the main channel.
Governor Wes Moore emphasized the need for a minimum depth of 35 feet for major cargo ships.
The Port of Baltimore, known for its high volume of autos, light trucks, machinery, sugar, and gypsum, has resumed some terminal operations outside the affected area.
Salvage crews face challenges due to the collapsed truss, which is making it difficult to determine how to cut and lift the wreckage. Four victims' bodies remain trapped, with two others recovered.
President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the site, with the administration securing initial emergency funding of $60 million for recovery efforts.
Biden has also requested Congress to fund the rebuilding of the bridge, an essential part of the Baltimore highway system.