On June 12, 2024, Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland, USA, announced at the Port of Baltimore that after more than two months of intense work, the main channels of the Port of Baltimore had fully resumed navigation. The restoration work cost $160 million and involved more than 2,000 people working day and night. Finally, the 50,000 - ton debris remaining after the freighter bridge - collision accident in March was cleared. Officials expect that the ports throughput will return to normal by mid - July this year.

On March 26 this year, the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Port of Baltimore, causing the bridge to collapse. Eight construction workers on the bridge fell into the Patapsco River, with six missing and presumed dead. The collision resulted in bridge debris falling into the river, blocking the main channel of the Port of Baltimore and causing shipping to halt.

To restore port operations as soon as possible, U.S. federal, state, and local agencies jointly participated in cleanup efforts. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard were responsible for salvage and cleanup operations, with total costs reaching $160 million. During cleanup, workers opened four temporary channels, and the first trapped cargo ship left port on April 26. By May 20, the colliding ship Dali was finally removed from the accident site and returned to port for further repairs.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore stated at a press conference: For the past 11 weeks, Ive waited every day to say this: The Fort McHenry Federal Channel in Maryland has been cleared, and the Port of Baltimore is reopened for operations. He noted that the Fort McHenry Federal Channel is 213 meters wide and 15 meters deep, with two-way shipping restored and additional safety requirements lifted. On site, a passing ship sounded its horn, symbolizing the ports reopening.

The Port of Baltimore is an important port on the east coast of the United States, loading more cars and agricultural equipment than any other port. The bridge - collision accident caused an economic loss of about $1.2 billion in Baltimore and its surrounding areas. According to the Associated Press, US President Joe Biden praised the full cooperation of governments at all levels in a statement and promised that the federal government would bear all the costs of bridge reconstruction. The bridge reconstruction is expected to cost as much as $1.9 billion and is hoped to be completed in 2028.

The full recovery of the Port of Baltimore is of great significance to the US supply chain. US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said that the US Department of Transportation played an important role in this cooperation to mitigate the impact of the blocked shipping routes on the supply chain. Officials expect that shipping companies that avoided the Port of Baltimore during the shipping route standstill will return as the route has returned to its original width and depth.

It is reported that the throughput of the Port of Baltimore is expected to return to normal levels by mid-July. During the recovery period, the ports temporary shipping lanes helped relieve some of the congestion and ensured the smooth transportation of some goods. The reopening of the Port of Baltimore not only helps to boost the regional economic vitality but also guarantees the normal operation of the global shipping network.

On May 14, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary investigation report on the bridge collision, showing that the Dali cargo ship experienced multiple power outages before the collision. Investigators tested the fuel used by the ship and found no quality issues. Crew members underwent multiple drug and alcohol tests before and after the accident, with no issues detected. The full investigation may take a year or longer to complete.

This accident highlights the importance of strengthening shipping safety management. After resuming operations, the Port of Baltimore will further enhance safety measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again. Governments at all levels and relevant agencies will work closely together to ensure the smoothness of shipping lanes and port safety, providing strong support for the stable development of the global shipping industry.

The full resumption of operations at the Port of Baltimore marks the return to normal of this important shipping center on the US East Coast. Although the cleanup work was time - consuming and costly, with the joint efforts of governments at all levels and relevant agencies, port operations gradually returned to normal. In the future, the Port of Baltimore will continue to play its important role as a logistics hub, contributing to regional economic development and the stability of the global supply chain.