Posted on 04/21/2024 1:56:32 PM PDT by cutty
A third temporary channel opened Saturday at the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
Commercial vessels were able to use the Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, which has a controlling depth of 20 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance and a vertical clearance of 135 feet.
Earlier in the month, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials said they expect to open a limited access channel to the Port of Baltimore by the end of April. The channel would support one-way traffic in and out of the port for barge container service and some vessels that move automobiles and farm equipment.
The new temporary channel that opened this weekend is not the same as the limited access channel, which crews are still on track to open at the end of the month.
WBAL-TV 11 News spoke exclusively with Baxter Smoak, the U.S. Coast Guard commander and Prevention Department head of the Sector Maryland-National Capital Region in Baltimore, about the new, temporary channel.
"We've always been evaluating all contingencies, so the early work that went into effect by the salvers was to clear that SPAN-19 because we knew there was deeper water there, which allowed us to get a little additional depth for vessels to transit," Smoak told 11 News. "That is the span that is just adjacent to the main ship channel, just to the northeast. Also, it was far enough from the Dali (ship) that the hydrodynamic forces wouldn't destabilize it in any way."
At the end of the day on Saturday, Smoak said they've transited approximately 130 commercial vessels, which are mainly tugs and barges that are not deep draft.
"The commercial ships that you'll you typically see in the port, they need a little bit more water and that is what's targeted for the end of April with the 35-foot draft opening," Smoak said.
The channel will allow about 15% of the pre-collapse vessel traffic through.
"It's only a small step to the greater goal, which is restoring the entire MTS, getting a 50-foot channel and revitalizing the port's economy," Smoak told 11 News.
Smoak said the deeper the channel, the more tugs and barges are able to haul through the Patapsco River.
"You're not likely to see an increase in the number of vessels or even the type, but what you will see is increased cargo carrying capacity. So the barges that were carrying coal, slag, and sugar into and out of the Port of Baltimore in the barges that were using the other two channels now can more fully load," Smoak told 11 News.
While we continue to see improvement when it comes to access to the Port of Baltimore, there are still two of the six victims unaccounted for.
"Not a second goes by that we're not thinking about the people that lost their lives. We're acutely aware that there are two more victims that are still unaccounted for. So, they're in our thoughts, their families are in our thoughts and prayers, and they will continue to be until we're able to bring them home," Smoak told 11 News.
Engineers are aiming to reopen the permanent channel by the end of May, restoring port access to normal capacity, according to officials.
20’ depth is a good start, but the big boys need 50’ and more.
As far as I kind find out, the ship is still stuck in the wreckage.
It’s still there per the video in the link.
Where’s Buttplug now that he should have an idea with this news?
about 35 ft
they have unloaded some bins....but doubt they want that ship press up against the fallen steel
I don't remember where I saw the commentary, but a hat tip to the org/person that provided it. The bridge was originally designed to allow ships with drafts of 35 feet to pass under it. The shipping channel was 500 feet wide. At some point the shipping channel was widened to 700 feet and dredged to 50+ feet without adding any additional bridge pier protection..
.
It’s a start but more needs to be done.
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