After weeks of inclement weather hampering salvage operations, The Unified Command began the critically important operation on Sunday of removing containers from the M/V Dali at the Key Bridge.
In a message provided by keybridgeresponse2024.com, salvors removed containers from the M/V 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 M/V Dali will continue in the coming days, as weather permits. Response crews began removing shipping containers using a floating crane barge.
Coast Guard Capt. David O’Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, Unified Command stated, “Every day we are working to achieve these goals safely and efficiently. 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.”
The removal of these containers is a critical step required to safely move the M/V 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 refloating of the ship.
The Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command includes the:
- U.S. Coast Guard
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Maryland Department of the Environment
- Maryland Transportation Authority
- Maryland State Police
- Witt O’Brien’s representing Synergy Marine
The latest updates on incident response can be found at the following URL:
https://www.keybridgeresponse2024.com
John S. Connor will continue to provide updates on our website. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
