Some vessels have been able to navigate through channels cleared through the wreckage but clearance has been limited by the presence of the Dali. Credit: Port of Baltimore

Officials involved in the clear up of the bridge collapse at Baltimore Port in the US have said the vessel that remains lodged among debris will be removed by 10 May. 

While some ships have been able to navigate in and out of the port through a limited access channel opened up by the coastguard in the middle of the collapsed bridge, the Dali containership has remained in the place where it collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge since the incident took place at the major port in Maryland on 26 March. 

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Ahead of the planned removal of the ship, a 35ft deep Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel that had been open for four days and allowed the first container ship to return to the port closed on 29 April, though the three other temporary channels, which are 20, 14 and 11ft deep, will remain open. 

Maryland Governor Wes Moore highlighted some of the difficulties that have been faced by the team attempting to clear the bridge debris and Dali vessel.

“That work is remarkably complicated, we’re talking about a massive piece of steel,” he said.

“On one end the steel is leaning against a vessel that is the size of the Eiffel Tower and, on the other end, it is leaning against the bottom of the riverbed, so this work is dangerous.” 

Additionally, the clearance operation is also being run hand in hand with the continuing recovery operations for the two roadworkers still missing after falling with the bridge, with only four bodies recovered from the wreckage so far. 

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While the Maryland Government and Port of Baltimore provided further details about the removal of the vessel, the authorities would not be drawn on how much longer the cleanup and recovery effort could take. 

However, the authorities have set the end of May as a target date for the reopening of the Port of Baltimore’s permanent 50ft deep and 700ft wide channel, with an initial 45ft channel expected to open when the ship is removed around 10 May.