Salvors have been preparing small explosives to cut a container ship from the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge off Baltimore.
US authorities couched the move as the fastest way to remove a large piece of the bridge that has been on top of the grounded, 9,962-teu Dali (built 2015) since a 26 March casualty that destroyed the span.
Salvors placed small charges on a key location on the bridge section to make precision cuts, which the US Coast Guard described as industry-standard practice for controlled demolition.
The operation is expected to take place this weekend.
The aim is to remove the bridge piece so that the Dali, which is owned by Singapore’s Grace Ocean and managed by Synergy Marine, can be refloated.
Authorities are also working towards reopening the main shipping channel in the Patapsco River that links the port of Baltimore to Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic.
Salvors will split a large truss section into multiple smaller pieces, allowing salvors to use cranes and barges to remove the bridge section.
Coast Guard Captain David O’Connell, who is the main federal coordinator on the scene of the salvage effort, said officials remain focused on restoring marine traffic while protecting the public and environment.
“By using precision cuts, we reduce risks to our personnel and can safely and efficiently continue clearing the channel for the Port of Baltimore,” he said.
What happens after the operation has not yet been decided.
Coast Guard petty officer Ronald Hodges said the unified command of government agencies and response companies will consider the best way to refloat the vessel.
It is not yet clear how the ship will respond after the bridge section is removed, including whether it will be able to refloat itself or will need tug assistance.
“Once section 4 is removed, they’ll go into an analysing phase,” Hodges said.
Despite newspaper reports that the AP Moller-Maersk-chartered ship will be taken to Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore, he said that has not been decided.
