THE Singapore-owned containership, the Dali, that slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was re-floated on Monday after being stuck for nearly eight weeks.
The Dali was moved by tugboats 'under favourable environmental conditions', according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Moving the ship is the latest step in clearing key shipping routes, according to BBC.
The Dali crashed on March 26, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six construction workers.
The 948ft (289m) ship had remained at the scene and was covered in scrap metal from the bridge, until a controlled demolition last week cleared some of the debris.
The Army Corps of Engineers said that it would take around 21 hours to move the Dali to a nearby terminal.
Officials have previously said that the ship is expected to remain at the terminal for four to six weeks before being moved to Norfolk, Virginia for further repairs.
With the ship moved out of the way, deep-draft commercial vessels are now able to use a 400ft (121m) wide, 50ft (15m) deep portion of the federal shipping channel to enter and exit the port of Baltimore, even as cranes and other equipment remain in place to clear additional debris.
The clearing work will continue until the shipping channel is restored to its original width of 700ft (213m) and all steel is removed from the riverbed.
A total of 21 crew members, most of them Indian, have been left on board the ship.
The sailors will remain on-board 'for the foreseeable future' while the investigation continues, although the company hopes they will be allowed to disembark soon after the ship is berthed. Darrel Wilson, a spokesperson for Synergy Marine, the Dali's Singapore-based management company, told the BBC in a statement.
The city of Baltimore has sued the ship's owners, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and its manager, Synergy Marine Private Limited, alleging gross negligence and recklessness. The companies have asked a court to limit their liability for the incident.
Authorities in the state of Maryland estimate it will cost up to US$1.9 billion and take more than four years to rebuild the bridge.
SeaNews Turkey
The Dali was moved by tugboats 'under favourable environmental conditions', according to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Moving the ship is the latest step in clearing key shipping routes, according to BBC.
The Dali crashed on March 26, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six construction workers.
The 948ft (289m) ship had remained at the scene and was covered in scrap metal from the bridge, until a controlled demolition last week cleared some of the debris.
The Army Corps of Engineers said that it would take around 21 hours to move the Dali to a nearby terminal.
Officials have previously said that the ship is expected to remain at the terminal for four to six weeks before being moved to Norfolk, Virginia for further repairs.
With the ship moved out of the way, deep-draft commercial vessels are now able to use a 400ft (121m) wide, 50ft (15m) deep portion of the federal shipping channel to enter and exit the port of Baltimore, even as cranes and other equipment remain in place to clear additional debris.
The clearing work will continue until the shipping channel is restored to its original width of 700ft (213m) and all steel is removed from the riverbed.
A total of 21 crew members, most of them Indian, have been left on board the ship.
The sailors will remain on-board 'for the foreseeable future' while the investigation continues, although the company hopes they will be allowed to disembark soon after the ship is berthed. Darrel Wilson, a spokesperson for Synergy Marine, the Dali's Singapore-based management company, told the BBC in a statement.
The city of Baltimore has sued the ship's owners, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and its manager, Synergy Marine Private Limited, alleging gross negligence and recklessness. The companies have asked a court to limit their liability for the incident.
Authorities in the state of Maryland estimate it will cost up to US$1.9 billion and take more than four years to rebuild the bridge.
SeaNews Turkey
