The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has announced the opening of a portion of the federal channel to accommodate deep draft ships.
This development comes as a relief to the international shipping community, as several commercial vessels, including the Balsa 94, had been stranded in Baltimore Harbor following the bridge collapse.
The Limited Access Channel (LAC), now accessible to scheduled passages for a limited number of commercial vessels, offers a 35-foot depth.
However, this window of accessibility is temporary, with the channel set to close again until May 10 to facilitate ongoing salvage operations aimed at reopening the main 50-foot channel.
This partial reopening follows the USACE's ambitious promise to partially restore the main federal Fort McHenry Shipping Channel by the end of April.
The endeavor underscores the significant challenges posed by the bridge collapse and the extensive efforts required to resume normal maritime operations in the Port of Baltimore.
