It’s been just over two months since the Dali cargo ship slammed into Baltimore’s Key Bridge and caused its stunning collapse, killing six construction workers and stopping most maritime traffic through the busy Port of Baltimore.
News4 got an up-close look at the damaged ship and the remaining portions of the Key Bridge.
The U.S. Army Corps Engineers is clearing out the Patapsco River. It has been 66 days since the ship slammed into the bridge. Last week, the largest channel reopened after tugboats escorted the damaged ship back to port.
Col. Estee Pinchasin said they're working on the last span rigged to the Chesapeake 1000, the largest crane on the East Coast. The name was given because the crane can hold up to 1,000 tons.
"But the challenge that we're having right now is that bottom cord of that truss is buried deep in the mud line and they're having a very hard time accessing it," Pinchasin said.
"What you don't see is a tremendous amount of road wreckage and other steel that's on the bottom of the river beds," she added.
While the debris is cleared out, a limited-access channel has been opened. It has since brought in about 70% of vessels that would normally enter the Port of Baltimore, according to Pinchasin.
For the rest of the operation, Pinchasin wants to ensure the channel is fully restored so there can be two-way traffic.
"We are going to make sure that we don't have anything left that could be a hazard to navigation," she said.
Pinchasin said this has been the most complex mission since her last assignment in Baltimore.
"Just hats off to the entire team. They've done an amazing job," she said. "Really looking forward to getting those 2,500-ton pieces that will be separated -- God willing -- today out of the water."
