The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced the complete restoration of the Fort McHenry Federal Channel in Baltimore. This critical maritime route had been obstructed since the catastrophic collapse of the Key Bridge in late March.

After over two months of round-the-clock salvage operations, the channel has been cleared of all debris and restored to its original specifications – 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep. This will allow for the resumption of normal two-way commercial vessel traffic through the Port of Baltimore.

The herculean cleanup effort was a unified mission involving the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy salvage teams, and other federal, state and local agencies working together. Approximately 50,000 tons of mangled steel and concrete from the bridge wreckage had to be painstakingly removed from the riverbed.

“We’ve cleared the Fort McHenry Federal Channel for safe transit. USACE will maintain this critical waterway as we have for the last 107 years,” stated Col. Estee Pinchasin, Baltimore District commander. “I cannot overstate how proud I am of our team’s remarkable accomplishment.”

Maryland Governor Moore praised the unified response, stating “This has been a remarkably complex operation…This is government cooperation at its best—we can get big things done when we work together.”

With the channel now fully open again to maritime traffic, Port of Baltimore operations can return to normal levels, providing an economic boost. However, the governor emphasized that “our work is not over until we rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”