The U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said using precision cuts made with small charges to break down the steel span is the “safest and swiftest method.” Authorities have estimated that the large section is about 500 feet long and weighs about 600 tons.

The steel span has been on top of the ship since the Dali lost power and collided with one of the bridge’s support pylons on March 26, killing six people and shutting down the Port of Baltimore. The FBI opened a criminal probe last month into the collapse, which also halted shipping traffic through one of the nation’s most crucial ports.