Dali, the container ship that has been stranded under the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore port, could be relocated after part of the fallen bridge was blown up in controlled explosions after 5 pm local time on 13 May.
Baltimore authorities decided to use explosives to remove the wreckage after discovering the body of the sixth and last construction worker who died after the accident. The corpse of the worker, Jose Mynor Lopez, was recovered on 7 May.
The controlled blast was delayed over the weekend due to bad weather. During the explosion, Dali’s 21-man crew, mostly Indian nationals, stayed in a sheltered part of the ship.
US Coast Guard officials said today (14 May) that they hope to relocate Dali elsewhere in Baltimore port, possibly by 16 May, to prepare for the port’s re-opening.
US Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said in a conference, “After we do the precision cutting, we will then go back and resurvey the channel as well as survey around the Dali to make sure there are no obstructions that come from that precision cutting that would interfere with traffic. Then we will reopen the limited-access channel to traffic at that particular time.”
The US Army Corps of Engineers said it aims to fully reopen the port by end-May. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said at a news conference that a 50-feet deep and 700-feet wide channel is expected to be available to vessels at the end of May and will start the road towards fully re-opening Baltimore port.
Rebuilding the bridge could cost US$1.9 billion and take at least four years.
Baltimore’s municipal authorities are suing Grace Ocean and Dali’s manager, Synergy Marine, for damages, although the companies have requested the courts to cap any liability at US$43.67 million, based on the valuation of Dali and outstanding freight payments on its last voyage.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
