As Lizards have mentioned, the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is gonna be a massive headache - and not just for commuters in the region, either.

In a potentially crippling blow to commerce in the region, the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore is likely to be shut down after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday morning when it was struck by a cargo ship.

Before shipping can resume into and out of the port, crews will need to pull debris out of the water and clear the 50-foot-deep channel that ships use, said William P. Doyle, a former director of the port who now heads the Dredging and Marine Construction Association of America.

“You’re going to have to pick out the trusses and parts of the bridge that are in the water,” Doyle said. “The channel is going to be closed. That means any of the larger vessels that are in the Inner Harbor Port of Baltimore - inside of the Key Bridge - are going to remain there until further notice. All the other ships coming up the Chesapeake Bay are going to have to go on anchorage or divert to another port.”

Doyle quickly began contacting dredging and marine companies on Tuesday, seeing what equipment is available to help clear the water.

thebaltimorebanner.com