Ships stuck in Baltimore port leave through new channel

The Captain of the Port has established a new limited channel with a minimum draught of 35 feet (10.69 metres) with a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and a vertical clearance of 214 feet.

According to the Port of Baltimore the first vessel to sailed from the port via the new channel was the 23,741 dwt, general cargoship Siamaagracht.

Other vessels reported to have left the port are 7,732 dwt, general cargoship Balsa 94, the 35,882 dwt bulker Phatra Naree from Precious Shipping which can be seen sailing through the channel in the timelapse video above, and the car carrier Carmen operated by Wallenius Wilhelmsen.

"This limited access deep draft channel will provide a window for five of the deep draft vessels currently unable to depart the port as well as some smaller deep draft vessels to transit. Meanwhile, the Unified Command personnel continue to work full speed ahead to safely and efficiently finish operations,” said US Coast Guard Capt. David O'Connell, Captain of the Port and Federal On-Scene Coordinator, Key Bridge Response 2024.

Transits will be suspended on 29 April to allow for salvors to try remove the stranded container ship Dali and reopen when it is deemed safe.

The Dali crashed into the Key Bridge on 26 March causing it to collapse with the death of six workers on the structure at the time.

Related:Will shipping learn from the Baltimore bridge disaster?

The collapse of the bridge completely blocked access to the Port of Baltimore, and until the latest channel was opened only a limited number of low draught vessels had been able to transit in and out via three temporary channels.