First cargo ship passes through newly opened channel in Baltimore since bridge collapse

By LEA SKENE
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago. A bulk carrier sailing under a Panama flag passed through the new 35-foot channel Thursday morning, headed for St. John, Canada. The ship is one of five stranded vessels expected to pass through the new, temporary channel. The 35-foot depth is a substantial increase over the three other temporary channels established in recent weeks. It puts the cleanup effort slightly ahead of schedule, as officials previously said they hoped to open a channel of that depth by the end of April.