The first multipurpose (MPP) vessel has discharged project cargo in Baltimore since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving have recently restored the Fort McHenry Federal Channel to its original operational dimensions of 700 feet (213 metres) wide and 50 feet (15.2 metres) deep for commercial maritime transit through the Port of Baltimore.

The Unified Command performed a survey of the Federal Channel June 10, certifying the riverbed as safe for transit. The MV Dali that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge was already moved on May 20

Fully restoring the Federal Channel to its original width and depth involved the removal of about 50,000 tons of bridge wreckage from the Patapsco River.

This work has allowed the MPP fleet to take another milestone. The first vessel to depart the Port of Baltimore through a temporary 35-foot deep channel, since the Maersk chartered container vessel Dali had the incident, was Spliethoff’s MPP Saimaagracht.

Now, some two months later, AAL Dalian becomes the first multipurpose vessel to discharge project cargo in Baltimore since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse was cleared, successfully navigating the newly reopened Federal Channel earlier this month to deliver modules.

Read more: Disrupted schedules, higher costs for project cargo movement

AAL Dalian is a second-generation heavy lift vessel capable of accommodating all cargo types with a copious intake of 40,000 cbm. In combination with a 700 mt max lift, five large cargo holds, two flexible tweendecks and a 2,700 square metre weather deck, the A-Class is one of the most popular and versatile multipurpose vessels in the sector.