Four ships trapped in Baltimore Harbour since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last month have cleared the wreckage and are out in the Atlantic, following the opening of a deeper channel. A fifth vessel is expected to depart later today.
The Balsa 94, a general cargo ship, was first to leave yesterday followed by another general cargo ship, Saimaagracht, then the Carmen car carrier (pictured, left), and finally the Phatra Naree, a 35,882 dwt bulk carrier (pictured, above) owned by Thailand’s Precious Shipping.
Ships are entering the harbour as well. American Sugar Refining said a shipment of raw sugar from Florida arrived at its Baltimore refinery earlier this week.
The new 12 m deep channel opened this week but will shut again on Monday as operations get underway to remove the Dali, the ship that smashed into the bridge a month ago killing six road maintenance workers and bringing much of the port to a standstill.
Singaporean shipowner Grace Ocean and shipmanager Synergy Group face trial in Baltimore after lawyers for the city filed a case this week, claiming that their ship had left port with “unseaworthy” conditions.
The port’s main channel, with a 15m depth, is set to reopen next month after the ship has been removed.