Ocean carrier A.P. Moller-Maersk believes a timeline might be imminent for when its vessels might return to the Port of Baltimore.
Maersk had chartered the Dali container ship, which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26. The port has been closed ever since, as crews have worked to clear the wreckage of the ship and bridge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers previously said that the main permanent 50-foot-deep channel into the Port of Baltimore will likely reopen by the end of May, but has not specified an exact date.
According to CNBC, Maersk expects to make a final decision on when it will be able to reroute its vessels back to the port within the next five to 10 days.
“It’s a fluid situation and the uncertainty is based on the progress of clean-up activities and when the channel will be open again for sizable vessels,” Maersk North America president Charles Van der Steen said.
Unified Command — the federal coalition leading the repair and removal effort — tells CNBC that it hopes to refloat the Dali by May 10. Just under 200 containers have been taken off the ship in order to get it ready to float before it’s taken out of the area.
The Port of Baltimore has posted several updates on salvage efforts to social media in the first week of May, showing crews removing debris using a “powerhouse” crane capable of pulling out 1,000 tons at a time.
Introducing “The Gus” – a powerhouse crane tackling the task of pulling out Key Bridge wreckage from the Patapsco River. With the ability to pull 1000 tons in a single go, this monster is unstoppable.
Our salvage mission is full steam ahead until we get the job done! pic.twitter.com/T5hdjAWAAP
— Port of Baltimore (@portofbalt) May 3, 2024
