Baltimore Port Set to Reopen Following Bridge Collapse
The reopening of the Baltimore port, currently shut down following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, will take place "as quickly as possible," assured Maryland Governor Wes Moore, as clearance operations have commenced.
"It's not just about Maryland. It's about our country's economy," Moore emphasized during a press conference.
Multiple cranes have been positioned in the Patapsco River to clear debris from the bridge.
"This is not only important for Baltimore workers but for our national supply chain," underscored U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement to CBS on Sunday.
The Baltimore bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after being struck by a Singapore-flagged container ship. The port, closed since the bridge collapse, is a major hub for maritime transport on the East Coast.
The federal administration announced on Thursday "emergency aid funds" of $60 million to the state of Maryland following the bridge collapse.
"The swift release of this funding will help contribute to the efforts to reconstruct the Francis Scott Key Bridge," the Transportation Department stated in a release.
"The emergency federal funds we're unlocking today will assist Maryland in starting urgent work, to be followed by additional resources as recovery and reconstruction efforts progress," Buttigieg noted.
The prolonged shutdown of the Baltimore port could harm the local economy, strain supply chains, and disrupt deliveries along the East Coast of the United States.
The U.S. president indicated on Friday that he would visit Baltimore next week.