{"id":58016,"date":"2025-03-26T14:30:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-26T11:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.al-sindbad.net\/u-s-maritime-industry-delivers-in-wake-of-fsk-bridge-collapse\/58016\/"},"modified":"2025-03-26T14:30:53","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T11:30:53","slug":"u-s-maritime-industry-delivers-in-wake-of-fsk-bridge-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.al-sindbad.net\/u-s-maritime-industry-delivers-in-wake-of-fsk-bridge-collapse\/58016\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Maritime Industry Delivers in Wake of FSK Bridge Collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We are at the one-year since the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge collapsed over the Patapsco River\u2019s Fort McHenry Channel<\/a> in Baltimore, Maryland. \u00a0Nearly 100 percent of the wreckage and debris removal was conducted by the Jones Act private sector U.S. maritime industry. \u00a0
The FSK collapsed at about 1:28 a.m. local time on March 26, 2025 after\u00a0the container ship MV DALI lost power and collided with one of bridge\u2019s support piers<\/strong>. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Six construction workers died<\/a> in the collapse, while two other workers survived the fall into the freezing water. The search and rescue efforts began immediately after the bridge collapsed with first responders racing to the FSK bridge area to look for survivors. \u00a0This included local and state police, fire and rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard. \u00a0Within the next 36 hours, the search and rescue operations turned into recovery in the search for victims. \u00a0This included the careful removal of debris and wreckage while divers searched the waterway for the victims.<\/p>\n

In that first 24 hours, the federal government set up a Unified Command of agencies to coordinate the recovery, wreckage and debris removal. \u00a0The Baltimore maritime community had become well versed in the Unified Command structure as the FSK command was nearly identical to the first Unified Command that was set up two years earlier after the grounding of the 12,500 TEU containership MV EVER GIVEN<\/strong>. \u00a0Many of the same private sector Jones Act maritime companies that refloated the MV EVER GIVEN, were also involved in the FSK aftermath. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

The lead agency of the Unified Command was the U.S. Coast Guard<\/strong>. \u00a0The U.S. Coast Guard served as command and control working alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers<\/strong>. \u00a0Other agencies involved in the Unified Command included the U.S. Navy, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Maryland Governor and MD Departments of Transportation, Environment and State Police.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Within the Unified Command Structure, there were three main salvage companies operating for separate entities on a contract management basis. \u00a0U.S. Jones Act dredging, marine construction and salvage company DonJon Marine<\/strong> acted as the salvage operator on contract with the federal government. \u00a0The MV DALI\u2019s contacted salvage operator was Resolve Marine. \u00a0<\/strong>And, the state of Maryland enlisted Skanska USA Inc. \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

While some perceived experts surmised that the port would be shut down for at least one-year, those of us the U.S. maritime industry knew it would not be crippling long term shut down of the Port of Baltimore. \u00a0We knew the American maritime industry with its dedicated companies and patriotic merchant mariners would show up and turn to. \u00a0Opening the channel was going to take weeks, not a year or even several months. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S.-Flag marine construction, dredging and maritime industry responded immediately to the collapse. \u00a0In fact, Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting\u00a0<\/strong>had recently completed maintenance dredging of the Baltimore Harbor approach channels. \u00a0As a result, Cashman had its Dale Pyatt clamshell dredge, barges and other equipment anchored and stacked in Baltimore\u2019s Curtis Bay.\u00a0<\/strong>The Dale Pyatt is one of the largest clam shell dredges in North America.<\/p>\n

“At Cashman, we\u2019re always ready to support America\u2019s waterways,\u201d said Stephen Tobin, Chief Executive Officer of Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting.<\/strong> \u201cWith a significant fleet already stationed in Baltimore, we were able to mobilize immediately to help with the efforts to clear wreckage and restore safe navigation as quickly as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, Gahagan & Bryant Associates\/S.T. Hudson Engineers (GBA\/Hudson)\u00a0<\/strong>based in Tampa, Florida sent three of its vessels into the wreckage site. \u00a0\u201cWe mobilized our hydrographic survey vessel, the SEAFIX, and had her onsite by 10:00 a.m. scanning the Patapsco River\u2019s seafloor,\u201d said Grady Bryant, Chief Executive Officer, GBA\/Hudson. \u00a0The company then brought in the BELLA MARIE and RV COASTAL, both vessels equipped with high resolution geophysical and geotechnical surveying capabilities. \u00a0These vessels were very important in locating buried pipelines, fiber optic and utility lines crossing under the Fort McHenry Channel. \u00a0
Within three days, the media was described the operation as an \u201carmada of waterborne assets\u201d being delivered to the area. \u00a0In fact, upon the arrival of Don Jon Marine\u2019s CHESAPEAKE 1000 heavy lift sheerleg crane ship arrived on the scene on March 29, 2024, NBC News correspondent Tom Costello reported: \u201cIt\u2019s the largest on the east coast, part of an armada of barges, salvage vessels and tug boats on the way.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n\n