Baltimore port may reopen by end of may on ‘ambitious’ timeline

The Port of Baltimore may reopen for normal operations by the end of May after a limited-access channel is cleared for some ship traffic late this month, the US Army Corps of Engineers said.

The first official timetable from the salvage operation was posted on the US Army website on Thursday, the day before President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Baltimore.

The nation’s largest maritime gateway for cars, trucks and farm equipment closed indefinitely after a container ship destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26 — killing six and trapping some vessels at the docks while forcing others to divert to other ports. White House advisers have called major Baltimore employers, including Amazon.com Inc. and Home Depot Inc., to encourage them to retain jobs. 

Opening a 280-foot-wide, 35-foot-deep passageway will take about four weeks, the Army Corps said in outlining the tentative plan. The restoration of the original channel — measuring 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep — is expected to take until late May.

“These are ambitious timelines that may still be impacted by significant adverse weather conditions or changes in the complexity of the wreckage,” Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, commanding general of the Army Corps, said in the post. “We are working quickly and safely to clear the channel and restore full service at this port that is so vital to the nation.”

Bloomberg reported Thursday that federal officials are poised to release preliminary findings of their investigation within days. Tainted shipping fuel, which has resulted in serious and sometimes complete engine failure, is one of the factors under scrutiny.