Traffic resumes through Baltimore’s busy port after $100M cleanup of collapsed bridge
BALTIMORE– Authorities expect commercial shipping traffic through the Port of Baltimore to quickly return to normal levels as the canal fully reopened earlier this week for the first time since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
“They’re open for business again, ready to bring in the largest container ships that call there,” U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Shannon Gilreath said during a virtual news conference Tuesday afternoon.
Some shipping companies their cargo diverted to other ports after the fatal bridge collapse in March. The disaster halted most maritime traffic through the busy Port of Baltimore as crews worked around the clock to remove an estimated 50,000 tons of fallen steel and concrete from the Patapsco River — a roughly $100 million effort involving federal, state and and local agencies were involved, officials said.
Businesses that avoided Baltimore during the cleanup are likely to return now that the canal has returned to its original depth and width, officials said. The city’s port handles more cars and agricultural machinery than any other port in the country.
All that diverted commercial traffic “belongs in Baltimore today,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “We have every indication that this is what is happening, but we will reinforce that expectation as we speak to players in the supply chains.”
Crews could do that reopen sections of the deep-draft canal in phases, which has restored commercial traffic in recent weeks. Some cruise ships and large container ships have already passed through, officials said.
But thousands of dock workers, truck drivers and small business owners have seen their jobs affected by the collapse and its fallout economic ripple effectsthat extend far beyond the Baltimore region.
Officials estimate the salvage operations will cost up to $75 million, while the Coast Guard response has cost $24 million so far.
Rebuilding the bridge could cost nearly $2 billion, officials say. They hope it will be completed by 2028.
The Biden administration approved $60 million in immediate federal aid, which Buttigieg called “a down payment for the work ahead.” All that assistance has been provided, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian said.
President Joe Biden has pledged that the federal government will cover the full cost of rebuilding the bridge, although officials said the funding is still awaiting approval from Congress.
In a statement Tuesday, Biden praised the work of everyone involved in the recovery efforts so far.
“Baltimore can count on us to be with them every step of the way, and we will stand with you until the bridge is rebuilt,” he said.
The freighter Dali crashed into a critical support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of March 26, causing the span to collapse and sending six members of a roadwork crew out. plunge to their deaths. The ship had lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore for Sri Lanka. A National Transportation Safety Board research found There were power outages before it started its journey, but the exact causes of the electrical problems have yet to be determined. The FBI is also conducting a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading to the collapse.
The Dali remained stuck among the wreckage for almost two months, with a massive steel truss draped over the damaged bow. The ship left on May 20 was lifted and led back to port. This allowed officials to open a canal that was 50 feet deep and 400 feet wide, large enough to accommodate most of the largest commercial ships.
The entire federal navigation channel is 213 meters wide. Officials said two-way traffic can resume now that it has reopened. They said additional safety requirements have also been lifted due to the increased width.