Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Collapses After Cargo Ship Collision

Glenn Taylor
·3 min read
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The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday after a large container ship hit one of the bridge’s columns, sending vehicles and people into the nearby Patapsco River and blocking access to the city’s port.

According to Baltimore City fire chief James Wallace, an active search and rescue is being coordinated for seven people that are still missing. Two people have been rescued. One was unharmed and the other remains in very serious condition, Wallace said.

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There were multiple contractors on the bridge who were working on “concrete deck” repairs, said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld. It’s unclear how many workers were on the bridge when it collapsed.

The collision occurred at 1:30 a.m. local time.

The four-lane, 1.6-mile-long bridge extends across the Patapsco River, a key waterway that serves the Port of Baltimore as a hub for East Coast shipping.

All vessel traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore is suspended until further notice, but the port is still open for truck transports, Wiedefeld said. Meanwhile, traffic is being diverted from the area around the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

At least 10 commercial ships that were sailing to the Port of Baltimore have dropped anchor in waters nearby, data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic showed on Tuesday.

Sourcing Journal reached out to the Port of Baltimore.

“With most of Baltimore’s port terminals and all of its container terminals behind the collapsed bridge, containerized exports at or planning to depart from Baltimore will either need to wait until the waterway re-opens, or be rerouted by truck or rail to alternate ports which could include Philadelphia or more likely the more major hubs like Norfolk or New York/New Jersey,” said Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, in emailed comments. “Exporters choosing these options could face increased trucking and rail rates if enough volumes are shifted to other ports.”

These diversions could cause some congestion at alternative ports, meaning delays for importers, Levine said.

The Singapore-flagged Dali container vessel that struck the bridge was chartered by Maersk. The ship carried cargo for Maersk customers, but none of the company’s crew or personnel were onboard.

The Dali, which can carry 10,000 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo was set to depart Baltimore early on Tuesday and arrive at Colombo on April 22, according to a schedule on Maersk’s website. According to Synergy Marine Group, the ship’s operator, 4,679 TEU were on board.

“We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected,” said a Maersk spokesperson. “We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed.”

Synergy said the cause of the collision wasn’t known but all crew members, including the vessel’s two pilots, were accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries to any of them.

The ship’s crew was still on board as of early Tuesday morning, Wallace said, noting that the vessel needs to be assessed for damage before rescuers can board it.

Wiedefeld said at a news conference that so far authorities have found no evidence to indicate the incident was intentional or involved terrorism.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he is working with an interagency team to “quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration.”

Baltimore port’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any U.S. port.