The Port of Baltimore, a significant hub for commercial shipping traffic, is expected to regain its usual bustling activity following the reopening of the channel after the devastating collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The calamity, which occurred in March, had brought maritime traffic to a near standstill, compelling shipping companies to reroute their cargo to other ports.
According to Fox News, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath announced in a virtual press briefing on Tuesday that the port is "back open for business, ready to bring in the largest container ships that call there." The reopening comes after an arduous cleanup operation to remove an estimated 50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco River. This Herculean task, which cost approximately $100 million, was a collaborative effort involving federal, state, and local agencies.
The reopening of the channel to its original depth and width is expected to lure back companies that had temporarily abandoned Baltimore during the cleanup. The port, which handles more cars and farm equipment than any other in the country, is now ready to reclaim its commercial traffic. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg affirmed this, stating, "All that rerouted commercial traffic belongs in Baltimore today." He further added, "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."
The reopening of the deep-draft channel was executed in phases, allowing some commercial traffic to resume in recent weeks. However, the bridge collapse's economic repercussions have been far-reaching, affecting thousands of longshoremen, truckers, and small business owners beyond the Baltimore region.
The salvage operations are projected to cost up to $75 million, with the Coast Guard response already costing $24 million. The bridge's reconstruction, expected to be completed by 2028, could cost nearly $2 billion. The Biden administration has approved $60 million in immediate federal aid, referred to by Buttigieg as "a down payment on the work ahead." However, the funding for the full cost of rebuilding the bridge, as pledged by President Joe Biden, is still awaiting approval from Congress.
The catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge occurred when the cargo ship Dali crashed into a critical support column. The accident resulted in the death of six members of a roadwork crew. The ship, which had lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore for Sri Lanka, remained stuck amid the wreckage for almost two months. On May 20, the ship was refloated and guided back to port, enabling officials to open a channel that was 50 feet deep and 400 feet wide, sufficient for most of the largest commercial vessels.
With the full federal shipping channel, which is 700 feet wide, now reopened, officials have confirmed that two-way traffic can resume. They also stated that additional safety requirements have been lifted due to the increased width. The reopening of the channel marks a significant step towards restoring normalcy in the Port of Baltimore, a crucial cog in the nation's commercial shipping industry.
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