Port of Baltimore – Francis Scott Key Bridge Incident. Update

SITUATIONAL UPDATE:

The Captain of the Port (COTP) has temporarily suspended transits to the fourth channel, Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel (LAC) as of Monday, April 29th at 6 a.m.

For safety reasons related to weather conditions, the controlled demolition to remove the bridge section resting on the deck of the M/V Dali is tentatively moved to Monday, May 13, at 5:00 PM ET.

Following the safe removal of the M/V DALI the COTP expects to reopen the Fort McHenry Channel, date to be reassessed following removal of bridge section, for commercially essential vessels to daily from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. This channel will have a controlling depth of 45 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 214 feet. Additional restrictions for transits are outlined in MSIB 043-24, including weather limitations which may impact the transit window. The primary purpose of this LAC is to allow the ships that have remained within the Port of Baltimore since the March 26 incident to leave.

Permission must be granted from the USCG to come to Baltimore before the channel is fully open.

Deep draft vessels utilizing this channel will require a Maryland State pilot and two escort tugs. The Maryland Pilots will impose a 3 foot under keel clearance (UKC) requirement for all vessels and limit transits to winds being less than 15 knots. Due to ongoing salvage operations in the area, all transits must be at the slowest safe speed but not to exceed 10 knots.

The three other temporary channels currently in use (the 20, 14, and 11-foot deep channels) will remain available and commercial vessels should plan to utilize those channels so as not to impede vessel traffic that must use the 45-foot deep channel.

Unified Command’s current timeline for the restoration for the Port of Baltimore is to reopen the permanent, 700-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep, and 214 feet air draft clearance federal navigation channel by the end of May.

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PORT CONDITION:

1

The Captain of the Port (COTP) has established a temporary alternate channel near Sollers Point for commercially essential vessels on the northeast side of the main ship channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This temporary channel has a controlling depth of 11 feet, a 264-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 95 feet.

The Captain of the Port (COTP) has established a second temporary alternate channel near Hawkins Point for commercially essential vessels on the southwest side of the main ship channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This temporary channel has a controlling depth of 14 feet, a 280-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 124 feet.

The Captain of the Port (COTP) established a Two-Day Opportunity for Commercially Essential Vessels on Saturday, April 20th and Sunday, April 21st at the Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, located just southwest of the Sollers Point Temporary Alternate Channel. The temporary channel has a controlling depth of 20 feet, 300 horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 135 feet.

The Captain of the Port established a fourth channel, the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel, with a controlling depth of a minimum of 45 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and a vertical clearance of 214 feet. Additional restrictions for transits are outlined in MSIB 043-24, including weather limitations which may impact the transit window.

These temporary channels are marked with government lighted aids to navigation and will be limited to transit at the discretion of the COTP and during daylight hours only.

To obtain permission to enter the safety zone and transit through the temporary alternate channel, you must, as early as possible but no less than 4 hours prior to getting underway, contact the Marine Transportation System Recovery Branch at (505) 203-8141. Movements are subject to response and recovery efforts.