Salvage crews within the Key Bridge Unified Command are preparing for the removal of the piece of bridge lying on top of the Dali.
Work is expected to be complete by May 10 after which a 45-foot-deep section of the main shipping channel is likely to reopen.
The operation requires careful handling of roadbed material, crushed containers, and bridge fragments currently resting on the Dali’s bow. The salvage teams are meticulously preparing for the refloat of the vessel, ensuring all aspects of the wreckage impacts are thoroughly evaluated and addressed.
According to estimates by The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) there are 3 000 to 4 000-tons of bridge wreckage on the Dali, which is essentially pinning it to bottom/piling.
The vessel lost power and struck the bridge on March 26, causing its immediate collapse, killing at least six people, and destroying Baltimore property.
Specialised equipment has been employed to closely monitor the positioning and movement of the Dali and the bridge wreckage in contact with it.
Teams have strategically removed 182 containers to facilitate the removal of the piece of steel structure, referred to as “section four.”
"The complexities of this next phase of operations require thorough preparation, strategic planning, and specialised expertise," said Captain David O’Connell, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, Key Bridge Unified Command. "We have the right team making this work happen in the safest and most efficient way possible.”
The Key Bridge Response Unified Command has made it clear that its priorities are to ensure the safety of the public and first responders, account for missing persons, safely restore transportation infrastructure and commerce, protect the environment, and support the investigation of the incident.
It says it is committed to restoring full access to the Fort McHenry Channel as swiftly and safely as possible and is providing updates regularly.
There continues to be a 2000-yard maritime safety zone around the incident site.
This is intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment. No vessel or person will be permitted to enter it without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated representative.
There is also a zero-tolerance policy regarding any UAS/drone use anywhere within the “No Drone Zone” established by the Federal Aviation Administration. “Anyone who attempts to fly a UAS/drone in any prohibited manner may be subject to arrest, prosecution, fines, and/or imprisonment,” according to a statement.
