SEE THIS WEEK. A FEW THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT THE SITE OF THE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE, ONE OF WHICH IS THIS CLAW TYPE CRANE BARGE THAT WAS JUST BROUGHT IN AND IS NOW ON STANDBY TO HELP PULL TONS AND TONS OF DEBRIS FROM UNDERNEATH OF THE WATER. A NEW TOOL ADDED TO THE UNIFIED COMMANDS TOOLBOX FOR WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW. AS FAR AS A WRECK, GRAB, THIS IS THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY. IT'S A WRECKAGE GRABBING CLAW, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A HYDRAULIC FULLY OPERATED MECHANICAL GRAB. AND ITS JOB ONCE THE MOTOR VESSEL DOLLY IS REMOVED FROM THE MAIN CHANNEL, THEY WILL FOCUS PRIMARILY ON REMOVING SECTIONS OF THE BRIDGE TO WIDEN THE CHANNEL AND INCREASE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMERCE IN THE PORT OF BALTIMORE. EXACTLY THAT REMOVING DEBRIS FROM UNDER THE WATER. NAVAL ENGINEER CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER RICK -- SAYS IT'S ON STANDBY UNTIL THE DOLLY SHIP IS REMOVED. THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES, A LOT OF PARTS OF THAT THAT NEED TO OCCUR PRIOR TO THE VESSEL BEING REFLOATED. SO I DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE THAT I CAN GIVE YOU CURRENTLY. ONE OF THOSE MOVING PIECES SET TO HAPPEN THIS WEEK. THE UNIFIED COMMAND SAYS VESSEL TRAFFIC THROUGH THE NEW TEMPORARY FORT MCHENRY LIMITED ACCESS CHANNEL WILL BE SUSPENDED, ALLOWING OPERATIONS TO REMOVE THE DOLLY. REAR ADMIRAL SHANNON GILREATH SPOKE ABOUT THE PROCESS DAYS AGO AT A PRESS CONFERENCE. WE'RE GOING TO SUSPILNE VESSEL TRANSITS THROUGH THAT NEW CHANNEL FOR ROUGHLY TEN DAYS OR SO, AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO SAFELY CONDUCT THE RIGGING WE NEED TO DO ON BOARD THAT LARGE PIECE OF THE BRIDGE THAT'S STILL ON BOARD THE BOW OF THE DOLLY. AFTER THAT, MORE AND HEAVY DEBRIS CAN BE REMOVED USING THE CLAW. IT'S A COORDINATED EFFORT THAT NO ONE PERSON OR ONE PIECE OF THE RESPONSE CAN DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE OTHER KNOWING ABOUT IT. IT'S A DOVETAIL OF COOPERATION, AND THAT'S THAT'S HOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH IT. THE UNIFIED COMMAND SAYS THEY ARE STILL COMMITTED TO REOPENING A PERMANENT CHANNEL TO HAVE FULL ACCESS BACK TO THE PORT OF BALTIMORE BY THE END OF
