by Mike Schuler at gCaptain
Less than a month after the Dali rammed a pillar of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge causing it to collapse, a portion of the federal channel has been opened to deep draft ships.
The opening of the 35-foot-deep Limited Access Channel allowed the departure of some of the ships trapped in Baltimore Harbor. The first ship through was the general cargo ship Balsa 94, bound for Canada, followed by the cargo ship Saimaagracht and car carrier Carmen. More transits are expected.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the LAC is open to scheduled passages for a limited number of commercial vessels into and out of the Port of Baltimore. The channel will remain open until Monday or Tuesday, at which point it will close again until May 10 to allow continuing salvage ops as part of the effort to open the main 50-foot channel.
The opening of the LAC comes after the USACE promised the partial reopening of the main federal Fort McHenry Shipping Channel by the end of April, a promise that was deemed “ambitious” considering the scope of the work involved.
“We’re working to strike a balance between enabling temporary access to support commercial activity and…
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Baltimore Update w/William Doyle Dredging Contractors of America & Former Director Port of Baltimore
What is Going on With Shipping?
Continue ReadingIn this episode, Sal Mercogliano – a maritime historian at Campbell University (@campbelledu) and former merchant mariner – talks with William Doyle, CEO and Executive Director of Contract Dredgers of America and former Director of Port of Baltimore and Federal Maritime Commissioner.