Baltimore shipping channel to fully reopen this weekend

The Port of Baltimore is set to resume full operations this weekend after salvage crews successfully removed the last major debris from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

PHOTO: A crane barge carries the last large piece of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Key Bridge Response

Local officials confirmed on Wednesday that the final large steel truss segment obstructing the shipping channel has been cleared.

The collapse of the bridge in March, caused by the cargo ship Dali, severely restricted vessel traffic at one of the busiest ports in the US.

“Ten weeks after the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, salvage crews successfully removed the final large steel truss segment blocking the 700-foot-wide Fort McHenry Federal Channel on June 3-4,” the Key Bridge Response team said in a statement.

The truss, made of concrete, cables, and steel rebar, was dismantled using concrete breakers, torches, and with the help of underwater surveys.

While a limited 400-foot passage was cleared last month, the full reopening expected between Saturday and Monday will enhance the port’s capacity to handle international cargo more efficiently.

Demand for bunker fuels has increased since last week, and all fuel grades are now readily available, a source says.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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