Apr 25, 2024 - Business

First ship passes through new channel after Baltimore bridge collapse

Sareen Habeshian

The "Balsa 94" sails past the cargo ship Dali and the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on April 25 in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The first cargo ship passed through Baltimore's newly opened deep-water channel on Thursday after being stranded in the harbor for a month since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

Why it matters: A cargo ship sailing past the wreckage of the bridge and the stranded Dali, which struck it, is a sign of the ongoing recovery efforts since the catastrophic bridge collapse killed six construction workers.

The collapse snarled shipping and traffic at the Port of Baltimore — one of the busiest in the U.S. — and is expected to have a wide-reaching impact across the country.

Zoom in: The Balsa 94 bulk carrier sailed under a Panama flag Thursday through a new 35-foot channel, traveling toward St. John, Canada, per AP.

The ship is one of five that had been stuck, now expected to pass through the temporary channel.
This is the fourth temporary channel to open in the port since the collapse, though it is the deepest one and is being used to let larger ships through. Commercial ships are being directed to the other three.

Flashback: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had said earlier this month that Baltimore would see more federal funding to assist in the collapse response.

The captain of the Port said last month that there were preparations underway to establish a temporary alternate channel for "commercially essential vessels" as part of a phased approach to opening the main channel.

Go deeper: Baltimore accuses Dali cargo ship owner, operator of negligence

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First ship passes through new channel after Baltimore bridge collapse

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