Baltimore officials have opened a temporary shipping route around the wreckage of the Francis Key Scott Key Bridge in a bid to get trade and movement of goods in and out of the port up and running as soon as possible.
Captain David O’Connell described this as “an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore”.
The first section of the collapsed bridge was removed from the Patapsco River over the weekend, marking an important step towards removing the wreckage and getting the crucial port back up and running.
After removing a 200-tonne segment, workers are now focusing on lifting a section of the bridge while leaving the crumpled part resting on the bow of the Dali container ship.
The progress comes after Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned the disaster is a “national economic catastrophe” that may have a wide-ranging impact on the US economy.
“People have to remember this is not a Baltimore catastrophe, not a Maryland catastrophe,” he told CNN on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has been forced to respond to racist remarks made by conservatives who falsely attributed the incident to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes.
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Owner of “Dali” attempts to restrict liability using Titanic-era law
The owner is of the ship, Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and the manager of the ship, Synergy Marine Group, filed a petition for exoneration from or limitation of liability in US District Court in Baltimore on Monday, according to the Baltimore Banner.
The Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, which was used to help protect the makers of the “Titanic”, allows ship owners to attempt to limit their liability to the value of the ship and its cargo at the end of the trip.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 20:00
Maryland delegate says pieces of bridge are being found on nearby beaches
Brian Chisholm, a Republican member of the Maryland State Delegation representing Anne Arundel County, said his constituents have been finding pieces of the bridge washed up on nearby shores in the Riviera Beach communities, close to the site of the collapse. The Stoney Creek side of the beach has been particularly hard, he said.
Officials have now established a debris reporting hotline at (410) 205-6625, he added.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 19:30
Business recovery centres now open to help small businesses impacted by Port of Baltimore closure
Two of the centres opened in Baltimore County on Monday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M Scott announced on X. The aim of the centres is to help process emergency relief to business owners.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 19:00
Officials are maintaining a no drone zone in the area surrounding the bridge
“We take any incursion into the restricted airspace around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse very seriously,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a news release. “Please help ensure the safety of all first responders and crews in the area by not interfering with their work.”
Federal and local law enforcement officials said they intend to enforce a no drone zone surrounding the bridge, according to a news release. Anyone who violates the restrictions could face federal charges.
“It is harmful to the recovery operations, and it is illegal”, William J. DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office, said.
The zone extends for three nautical miles in radius from the centre of the bridge and from the surface, including 1500 feet above ground level.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 18:45
Baltimore bridge collapse: Biden to visit Friday as cleanup continues
President Biden will visit the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Friday and will meet with Maryland Governor Wes Moore and other state and local officials as efforts to clear a key maritime shipping artery continue, the White House has said.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at the daily White House press briefing on Monday that Mr Biden would use the visit to “meet with state and local officials and get an on the ground look at federal response efforts”.
Read more by Andrew Feinburg:
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 18:15
Non-profit organisation is calling for better conditions for migrant workers after collapse
CASA, a non-profit organisation supporting migrant workers, is calling for better conditions for migrants in the wake of the collapse.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 18:01
Carnival cruise line said it’s temporarily redirecting ships to Norfolk, Virginia
Carnival Cruise Line said it is temporarily moving its operations to Norfolk, Virginia, a move that Royal Caribbean also took in the wake of the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse.
One ship “Carnival Legend” returned to the Virginia port on Sunday. Guests were provided complimentary bus services back to Baltimore, the cruise line said in a statement. A seven-day cruise scheduled to begin on 31 March also departed from Norfolk. Guests on the cruises were informed of the changes.
“Our thoughts remain with the impacted families and first responders in Baltimore,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible. As those plans are finalized, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk.”
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 17:27
Temporary channel has been established, authorities say
A temporary channel has been established to help move Port of Baltimore traffic. The channel is located on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the bridge for commercially essential vessels.
“This marks an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” Captain David O’Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, said in a news release on Monday morning. “By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”
The action is part of a phased approach to opening the port, officials said. The temporary channel has government-lighted navigation aids and has a controlling depth of 11 feet, providing a 264-foot clearance and a vertical clearance of 95 feet, the statement said.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 16:43
Royal Caribbean says it’s rerouting ships after bridge collapse
In a statement, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the company is rerouting some of its cruises. Passengers will be getting compensation and temporary shuttle transportation, the company added. The cruise ships will now be docking in Norfolk, Virginia, a port that other companies are turning to in the midst of the tragedy.
Upcoming cruises taking place on 4 April and 12 April will sail from Norfolk. Guests booked on those trips will also receive compensation in order to make any necessary adjustments to their travel plans. Upon returning from the 12 April cruise, the line called “Vision of the Seas” will head off to The Bahamas for scheduled maintenance.
“Our guests and travel partners are being directly notified of these updates”, the companies said.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 16:26
Maryland is 39th in the country for structurally deficient bridges
According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, the state is 39th in the country for structurally deficient bridges. The state has identified needed repairs on 1,595 bridges, according to the state’s database. That number has gone down some when compared to the 1,646 that needed work in 2019.
West Virginia is first in the country for structurally deficient bridges, while Arizona was last.
Michelle Del Rey1 April 2024 16:06