Logistical Nightmare Unfolds After Collapse of Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge

On Tuesday, Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after it was struck by a cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore. FreightWaves has begun tracking the consequences of the disaster, reporting that the blockage could potentially disrupt shipping flows across the US.

For the shipping community, the accident will affect maritime lanes as carriers must seek alternative ports of call while the collapsed bridge continues to block the river, experts told FreightWaves.

The Port of Baltimore is the deepest harbor in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, with five public and 12 private terminals. Port officials posted on social media that they do not know how long ship traffic in and out of the port will be suspended, although trucks are still being processed.

“In the next few weeks, 107 vessels will not be able to call that port and will have to divert to other ports,” Sanne Manders, president of international at Flexport, told FreightWaves. “The question is, are other ports able to absorb that capacity? The reality is that Baltimore is an important port, but for containerized trade, it is relatively small.”

Manders said what makes the Port of Baltimore unique is the volume of roll-on/roll-off cargo it handles, such as passenger vehicles, along with agricultural and industrial equipment.

“Then you’re also getting into agricultural exports—rice, sugar, fertilizers, forestry products. It’s pretty big in Baltimore. Then there’s also a big paper industry there and construction materials,” Manders said.