A temporary alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel near the Francis Scott Key Bridge is being created to facilitate access to the Port of Baltimore for commercially essential vessels.
Efforts are underway to establish a temporary alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore for commercially essential vessels, according to the latest update from the Unified Command, which is in charge of the incident response.
“This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore,” said Capt. David O’Connell, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, Key Bridge Response 2024.
“By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore.”
This action is part of a phased approach to opening the main channel. The temporary channel will be marked with government lighted aids to navigation and will have a controlling depth of 11 feet, a 264-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance 96 feet.
The current 2,000-yard safety zone around the Francis Scott Key Bridge remains in effect and is intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment.
The recent collision involving the containership Dali and the bridge has effectively halted vessel movements in and out of the Port of Baltimore, posing significant challenges to supply chain logistics.