The Unified Command began to remove containers onboard M/V Dali at the Key Bridge incident site, Sunday.
Salvors removed containers from the Dali as part of the effort to gain access to the portion of the Key Bridge that lies atop the ship. The transfer of containers from the Dali will continue in the coming days, as weather permits.
The removal of the containers is a critical step required to safely move the Dali and eventually fully re-open the Fort McHenry Channel. Removing containers allows for safe access to then remove the pieces of the Key Bridge that lie across the ship’s bow, taking weight off the ship and ultimately allowing for the movement of the ship.
In parallel, wreckage and debris removal continued at the site, including portions of Span 19 that were taken to Sparrows Point, Maryland. While marine traffic is still limited, one vessel has transited through in the last 24 hours, totaling 32 since the creation of the temporary alternate channels.
“The Unified Command is concurrently progressing on its main lines of effort to remove enough debris to open the channel to larger commercial traffic, refloat the M/V Dali and continue recovery efforts for missing loved ones,” said Coast Guard Capt. David O’Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, Unified Command. “Every day we are working to achieve these goals safely and efficiently.”