Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Port of Baltimore has opened the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel (LAC) as a temporary solution.
This channel allows limited commercial vessel traffic into the port and offers a departure route for some deep draft vessels trapped in the harbor due to the bridge collapse. It is the fourth channel to open since the incident. The Fort McHenry LAC runs along the northeast side of the federal channel with a depth of at least 35 feet, a horizontal clearance of 300 feet, and a vertical clearance of 214 feet.
The first commercial vessel transited through the Limited Access Channel at the #FSKBridge site Thursday, part of scheduled passages for a limited number of commercial vessels into the @portofbalt and a departure opportunity for deep draft vessels unable to leave the harbor. pic.twitter.com/KsfOffBkme
— USACE Baltimore (@USACEBaltimore) April 25, 2024
Recently, the first commercial vessel successfully transited through this newly opened channel, marking a significant step in restoring port operations after the bridge collapse.