Baltimore's port shipping channel reopens in entirety following over two-month bridge failure.
"The Baltimore District Commander, Col. Estee Pinchasin, declared on Monday that the Fort McHenry Federal Channel is clear for safe passage. Despite achieving the main objective of reopening the Federal Channel, the memory of those lost in the tragic incident never left the minds of the crews involved. They recalled the people who lost their lives, their families, and the workers affected by this calamity every day and were motivated by that memory.
Removing close to 50,000 tons of wreckage from the Patapsco River was a requirement for completely reopening the 700-foot wide channel. This project, led by Unified Command, involved more than 2,000 people, specialists in various fields, nearly two dozen tugboats, 13 floating cranes, and ten excavators, among other machinery.
The Federal Channel temporarily closed on March 26 after a 213-million-pound cargo ship, with the name Dali, experienced a power outage, crashed into one of the bridge's supports, and caused the bridge to collapse. Records show the incident was recorded in a video that simmered public curiosity. The collapse is at the center of a multi-agency investigation to determine the cause.
Workers dedicated weeks to removing debris and recovering the remains of the victims, who were from Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Guatemala. Several of them had made Maryland their home for years, and they left behind mourning communities and incomplete dreams.
After several delays, on May 20, the Dali container ship, with its bow trapped by a bridge piece, was eventually hauled away. This development facilitated the creation of a temporary 400-foot channel, allowing cruise ships to leave the harbor at the end of May.
Last week, crews cleared the last massive steel truss, a major hurdle, and worked hard to ensure there are no remaining potential hazards in the area.
The closure of the channel caused a significant strain on the port's economy, as it supported tens of thousands of jobs.
Although the exact cost of rebuilding the bridge remains unclear, President Joe Biden has promised federal assistance to bring about the needed reconstruction. The Insurance Information Institute has estimated that the bridge alone could be worth over $1.2 billion."
— Elizabeth Wolfe, Sarah Dewberry, and Holly Yan also contributed to this report.
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The crews working on the channel reopening project often thought about the impact on the US community affected by the bridge failure. Given the diverse backgrounds of the victims, the closure of the channel was particularly challenging for the US immigrants whose dreams and lives were affected.
