Salvage crews on Sunday began removing containers from the deck of the containership that crashed into and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The removal of the containers from the deck of the Dali would continue this week as weather permits, according to a statement from the Key Bridge Response Unified Command.
Crews were progressing towards removing sections of the bridge that lie across the ship’s bow to eventually allow it to move.
In total, 32 vessels have passed through temporary channels on either side of the wreckage.
“The Unified Command is concurrently progressing on its main lines of effort to remove enough debris to open the channel to larger commercial traffic,” US Coast Guard captain David O’Connell said.
The Dali, managed by Synergy and on charter to Maersk, has been pinned down under mangled steel in the Patapsco River since it slammed into the bridge on March 26, killing six road maintenance workers.
President Joe Biden visited Baltimore on Friday, vowing to “move heaven and earth” to help the city’s port recover.
“Folks, we all need to step up,” Biden said, “Amazon, Home Depot…and other companies all rely on this port, and they have committed to keep workers on payrolls.”
By the end of April, officials hope to open a limited access channel 280ft (80m) wide and 35ft (10m) deep to allow one-way traffic for container barges and some car carriers.
The entire, permanent channel is expected to be clear and ready for use by the end of May.
Another containership running into difficulties near an American bridge made headlines over the weekend.
The 2012-built, 10,106 teu APL Qingdao lost some of its controls momentarily near New York’s Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge on Friday night.
The 349 m long vessel later regained propulsion and was assisted by three towing vessels to safely anchor just north of the 4.1 km suspension bridge.
Repairs were made and the ship’s system was fully operational before it safely departed New York on Sunday morning.
