Baltimore tragedy: US Army Corps of Engineers targets opening Fort McHenry Channel by the end of May

The US Army Corps of Engineers has revealed it aims to finish opening the channel channelizing the Baltimore port within a month after the catastrophic incursion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a tangible relief sustained so now cargo carriers and vessel traffic will have free access to the port as the structural failure previously prevented them.

The catastrophic collapse occurred when a colossal cargo ship, almost as long as the bridge itself, collided on March 26, leading to its collapse and the unfortunate deaths of six construction workers. The search for four missing workers continues, as they are presumed to be entangled within the submerged debris.

USACE aims to reopen the port by the end of May

The US Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District has been diligently working on the site, aiming to establish a “limited access channel” approximately 280 feet wide by the end of April. This interim solution “would support one-way traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore for barge container service and some roll on/roll off vessels that move automobiles and farm equipment to and from the port,” according to the unit's words.

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“USACE engineers are aiming to reopen the permanent, 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep federal navigation channel by the end of May, restoring port access to normal capacity.”

Clearing the channel is not only pivotal for economic recovery but also essential for the ongoing search efforts for the remaining construction workers, believed to be trapped in the underwater wreckage.

As articulated by state and federal leaders, the task ahead is fraught with challenges. The complexity of the wreckage removal process is underscored by the sheer size of the ship involved, which is as long as the Eiffel Tower and, more importantly, the bridge itself.

Maryland Governor highlights the hurdles they are facing while recovering

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, told CNN, “We have a ship that is nearly the size of the Eiffel Tower that is now stuck within the channel that has the Key Bridge sitting on top of it.”

Governor Moore also highlighted: “That water is so murky that salvage divers cannot see any more than 1 to 2 feet in front of them.”

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“The collapse of the bridge is so distinct and so severe, with metal that is so … wrought together and pancaked that it continues to make this mission extraordinarily complicated and dangerous for those who are conducting it.”

For now the divers only rely on guidance from operators using renderings and images to maneuver through the site.