“Breaking: Giant Crane Arriving in Baltimore to Salvage Key Bridge Disaster – Port Reopening in Sight!”

 

As efforts commence to remove the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed earlier this week following a collision with a cargo ship, authorities have announced the impending arrival of the largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard in Baltimore by Friday. Emphasizing their commitment to restoring operations at the Port of Baltimore, which has been under an indefinite vessel traffic ban, officials underscored in a Thursday night press briefing that their foremost objective is swift restoration. They clarified that before the bridge retrieval teams could commence their work, comprehensive evaluations are imperative to pinpoint the optimal locations for dismantling the structure into manageable segments.

Here’s what to know

♦The U.S. Department of Transportation has greenlit emergency aid amounting to $60 million to support Maryland’s endeavors in the recovery and cleanup process. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has assured that further governmental funding is in the pipeline, although securing longer-term allocations from Congress may entail a wait of several months. The Washington Post has reported estimates suggesting that the construction of a replacement bridge in Maryland could surpass the $1 billion mark in expenses.

♦During a press briefing held on Thursday, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath outlined the necessary steps for the reopening of the Port of Baltimore, which entail extracting the vessel, clearing the channel of debris, and subsequently eliminating the remnants of the bridge from the river. With the vessel’s size nearly comparable to that of the Eiffel Tower, Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) remarked, “We are faced with an extensive journey ahead of us.”

♦The collapse of the bridge trapped eight construction workers, with four of them now missing and presumed deceased. Among the unaccounted-for individuals are Miguel Luna and Maynor Suazo Sandoval. The tragic loss of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, aged 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, aged 26, was confirmed on Wednesday. Fortunately, two workers were rescued on Tuesday.

♦During the Orioles Opening Day game in Baltimore, three police officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority were honored for their swift actions in halting traffic on the bridge upon receiving the urgent Mayday call from the Dali container ship. Governor Moore commended their quick thinking, stating that it undoubtedly saved lives.

♦The partial collapse of Baltimore’s beltway has had a notable impact on local traffic flow. Officials report a surge of approximately 15,000 additional vehicles passing through the Fort McHenry Tunnel compared to its typical volume, while the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel has experienced an increase of roughly 7,000 vehicles beyond its usual traffic load.

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Breaking: Giant

⊗6:59 AM: It could take weeks to remove dangerous elements from the Dali.

♦The initial phase in the removal of wreckage from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge will involve addressing the hazardous materials aboard the Dali. James Bell, president of ADCO Environmental Services, a Chicago-based company specializing in hazardous materials cleanup, projected that this process could span “a few weeks.”

♦Bell emphasized, “The hazmat team always enters the building after the emergency responders. You have to eliminate the risks so that your new employees won’t be in danger when you start removing the bridge.”

♦The cargo onboard the Dali comprised seventy-six tons of hazardous materials, predominantly flammable or caustic liquids, and potentially lithium-ion batteries, stored in 56 hazardous containers. The Coast Guard confirmed damage to several of these containers. However, Bell reassured that due to the containment of flammable and caustic substances within steel drums or specialized industrial “totes” designed for safe chemical transportation, the likelihood of spills is low.

♦They are incredibly strong and can withstand significant pressure, even if the shipping containers may have sustained damage from the bridge collapse,” he stated. “So the likelihood is that they’re all probably OK.

♦Regarding the lithium-ion batteries, he noted, “Those lithium-ion batteries probably pose the greatest risk of all because, once they ignite, they are difficult to extinguish.

♦Teams specializing in hazardous material recovery will extract batteries for recycling and relocate any combustible or caustic substances from compromised tanks into new containers.

♦Once the ship is towed away for repairs, they can commence the process of removing the bridge from the bay,” Bell explained. “They will proceed cautiously to ensure that every step is executed accurately.

♦The federal government approved Maryland’s request for $60 million in initial emergency relief aid to aid in the recovery efforts following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, as announced on Thursday.

♦In a news release, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg remarked, “No one will ever forget the shocking images of a container vessel striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing its collapse and the tragic loss of six people.” He continued, “We are releasing federal emergency funds today to assist Maryland in starting immediate work. Additional resources will be made available as recovery and rebuilding efforts advance.”

♦In the release, Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt remarked that the relief funding serves as “an initial down payment of funds to assist Maryland in mitigating ongoing disruptions to traffic, supply chains, and daily activities.” The approval of funding swiftly followed the submission of a request by the Maryland Department of Transportation, offering support to the state’s ongoing endeavors encompassing debris removal, demolition, diversion creation, and emergency repairs. Additionally, the funding will aid in the redesign and reconstruction of the bridge.

♦The Federal Highway Administration, responsible for providing technical support, conducting site evaluations, and overseeing emergency contracts for the construction of the new bridge, asserts that the additional funds needed for the bridge’s reconstruction will be “backed by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations.”

♦Buttigieg further affirmed, “President Biden has emphasized that the federal government is fully committed to assisting in the reconstruction of the bridge and the swift reopening of the Port of Baltimore.”

 

♦Amidst the ongoing efforts to clear the debris of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed earlier this week following a collision with a cargo ship, the Dali, authorities have announced the impending arrival of the largest crane on the Eastern Seaboard in Baltimore early on Friday. Additionally, the US Navy has mobilized several floating cranes, including one with a lifting capacity of 1,000 tons, to aid in the operation.

♦Officials emphasized during a press conference on Thursday night that their foremost priority is the reopening of the Port of Baltimore, where vessel traffic remains banned indefinitely. They also mentioned that before initiating the bridge retrieval process, workers need to conduct inspections to determine the optimal locations for dividing it into manageable sections.

♦In a related development, the U.S. Department of Transportation disclosed that it has approved emergency funding amounting to $60 million to aid Maryland in its endeavors to recover and undertake cleanup operations. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg indicated that additional government financing is forthcoming, albeit requiring several months for Congress to authorize longer-term funding. According to certain projections, the construction of a new bridge in Maryland could surpass the $1 billion mark in expenses.

♦On Thursday, a convoy of massive crane ships, thousands of rescue workers, and millions of dollars surged toward Baltimore, marking a shift in focus from recovery efforts of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse to a daunting cleanup operation, deemed by some experts as highly risky and unprecedented. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced its intention to dispatch over 1,100 engineering professionals and other experts to commence the monumental task of clearing the extensive debris that has brought operations at the Port of Baltimore to a standstill. Additionally, the U.S. Navy deployed three floating cranes, including one with a lifting capacity of 1,000 tons, to assist in the operation.

♦Top officials from the Corps, tasked with the clearance of the Patapsco River, presented a three-phase strategy aimed at restoring operations at one of the nation’s largest shipping ports. Their swift action aims to mitigate the economic repercussions resulting from the cargo ship collision with the bridge on Tuesday.

♦The initial phase involves efforts to extract the massive steel trusses obstructing the shipping channel, enabling one-way traffic to resume entering and exiting the port. Subsequently, they plan to elevate and relocate the bridge segments positioned over the 985-foot Dali. Finally, they will undertake the excavation of steel and concrete debris accumulated on the riverbed.

♦While officials have refrained from offering a precise timeline, experts in infrastructure and salvage have underscored the immense challenge posed by the cleanup efforts. The process is anticipated to be exceptionally arduous, requiring divers to contend with frigid waters as they work to cut through steel beams. Additionally, the presence of 764 tons of hazardous chemicals still aboard the Dali further complicates the task at hand.

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