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Controlled Explosion Brings Down Last Section of Baltimore Bridge Collapsed in Cargo Ship Strike

15th May 2024
The last remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is exploded by US Army demolition exports on Monday 13 May
The last remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is exploded by US Army demolition exports on Monday 13 May

The final remaining span of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge — collapsed by a cargo ship crash in late March — has been brought down in a controlled explosion.

As Marine Industry News reports, US Army explosives experts oversaw the demolition on Monday (13 May) some six weeks after the container vessel Dali collided with one of the bridge supports, causing the four-lane bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River.

Six construction workers who were on the bridge at the time were killed in the incident.

Now that the bridge has been exploded into smaller pieces that will be easier to salvage, it’s hoped the narrow channel that represents the only access to the Port of Baltimore — one of the busiest on the US east coast — can soon be cleared to allow shipping to return to full capacity.

Meanwhile, the City of Baltimore has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Dali, alleging it was “clearly unseaworthy” and was sailed by “an incompetent crew”.

Marine Industry News has more on the story HERE.

Published in Ports & Shipping
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