First Cargo Ship Passes Through New Channel After Key Bridge Collapse

BALTIMORE, MD — The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep water channel on Thursday after spending a month stuck in the Baltimore Harbor following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to multiple reports.

The Balsa 94, a bulk carrier sailing under the Panama flag, passed through the new 35-foot channel headed for St. John, Canada, the Associated Press reported. The ship is one of five stranded vessels expected to pass through the channel.

On Thursday, two tug boats guided the Balsa by the wreckage of the Key Bridge, which collapsed on March 26 when the massive container ship Dali lost power and slammed into one of the bridge's support columns.

The collision sent a span of the bridge plummeting into the frigid Patapsco River, blocking access to the harbor and halting most maritime traffic through the city’s port.

A road crew was on the bridge patching potholes on I-695 overnight when the collision happened. Four workers were killed and another two are presumed dead, their bodies trapped in the underwater wreckage.

The new channel is the fourth to open in recent weeks. Its 35-foot depth is a substantial increase compared to the three other temporary channels, according to the AP's report. The channel will remain open through Monday or Tuesday, and it will close again while crews work to remove steel from the Dali and refloat the ship.

The port’s main channel is expected to reopen next month, the report said.

State transportation officials on Thursday also announced that a public forum will be held on May 7 to discuss the rebuilding of the Key Bridge.

“Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge and reconnecting the I-695 Baltimore Beltway as expeditiously and safely as possible remains a top priority for MDTA," agency Executive Director Bruce Gartner said in a statement. "The anticipated contracting process is a significant opportunity for the consulting and construction community in Maryland to bring their skills to the table of this important project."

Registration for the forum is open to industry professionals at KeyBridgeRebuild.com.

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