Officials in Baltimore plan to open a 35-foot (12 meter) deep channel for commercial ships on Thursday, marking significant progress in reopening the city’s major port after last month’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

This new channel will be substantially deeper than the three temporary channels previously established. It allows five of the seven cargo ships stuck in Baltimore’s harbor, including one car carrier, to finally depart. Other vessels are scheduled to enter the port, which typically leads the nation in processing cars and farm equipment.

“Four weeks ago, our way of life was dealt a huge blow with the collapse of the Key Bridge,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. The cargo ship Dali had lost power and run aground, toppling the bridge and killing six roadwork crew members.

By Thursday, salvage crews will have removed over 2,900 tons of steel wreckage, enabling the deeper channel for “commercially essential vessels” until next Monday or Tuesday. Ships must have a Maryland pilot and two tugboat escorts.

The passage will then close again until around May 10 as crews extract the Dali and refloat it back to port. Officials aim to reopen the port’s main 50-foot channel next month after removing the ship, largely restoring normal maritime traffic.

“We are going to work efficiently and safely,” stated Maryland Governor Wes Moore.

In a court filing, Baltimore’s leaders called for the Dali’s owner and manager to be held fully liable for the bridge collapse’s potentially “devastating economic impacts.” The port’s closure has disrupted a major trucking route along the east coast.