North American authorities acknowledged that the reconstruction of the Baltimore bridge, which collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday (26) after the collision of a cargo ship, “will not be quick, easy or cheap”. The government highlighted the reopening of river traffic as a priority.
“We still do not fully know the condition of the parts of the bridge that are still standing or that have infrastructure under the water surface. Reconstruction will not be quick, easy or cheap, but we will get there”, said Transport Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, in an interview cited by the Efe news agency.
At the White House, in a meeting with US President Joe Biden, Buttigieg was accompanied by Vice Admiral Peter Gautier, deputy commander of Operations of the United States (US) Coast Guard.
According to Buttigieg, Biden made it clear that “the entire administration will support, in all aspects, the recovery and reconstruction process.”
The Department of Transport said it has four priorities: reopening the port, dealing with supply chain disruptions, rebuilding the bridge and dealing with the implications of the accident for land transport.
The Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers will coordinate a response to clear the canal and reopen the port so it can return to full operation.
“We are concerned about the local economic impact, with around 8 thousand direct jobs associated with port activities and the implications that will extend beyond the region,” he stated.
The Dali cargo ship hit a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed, along with several vehicles.
After searching the waters for survivors, the US Coast Guard reported that taking into account the time and temperature, it considered the six missing to be dead.
The blockade of the Port of Baltimore, the ninth largest in the US, is expected to have serious economic consequences for the region.
Both the local police and the Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States, Alejandro Mayorkas, stated that there was no evidence that this was a terrorist act, but the FBI (the North American Federal Police) has already joined the investigation.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge (named after the author of the lyrics of the North American anthem) was the largest in the city in the state of Maryland, measuring 2,632 meters long, and supported the passage of more than 11 million vehicles per year.
Immortalized in the North American series The Wirebegan construction on the Patapsco River in 1972 and was inaugurated on March 23, 1977.
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