How will the Maryland bridge collapse impact Utah?
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — In the early morning hours of March 16, a container ship lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing the bridge to collapse and delaying ships scheduled to go to Baltimore by at least 24 days.
Ships that were expected to go through Baltimore are now being rerouted through other ports on the east coast.
But, over in the West, how will the bridge collapse affect Utahns?
Will the bridge collapse affect Utah’s imports?
Ben Hart is the executive director for the Utah Inland Port Authority. He spoke with ABC4.com about what the collapse could mean for Utah.
“The reality is there’s very little impact here, for Utahns and consumers here in the state,” Hart said.
Hart said, on average, about 1.1 million cargo units go through the Port of Baltimore — and out of all of those units, few make their way to Utah.
“Typically, less than 100 of those cargo units will actually end up in the state of Utah,” Hart said. “So, the impact here on the state is very minor.”
Hart said he doesn’t have “direct visuals” into what those units usually are, but he expects it would be automobile exports. Hart said the Baltimore port is a “specialized port,” as larger agricultural machinery and automobiles are typically routed through it.
“Ultimately, very little of that actually ends up here in the state of Utah,” Hart said. “We’re not anticipating that it will be a significant impact.”
He said Utah has stronger ties to ports in California and the Northwest Seaport Alliance.
What does the collapse mean for the east coast?
“This directly impacts two modes of transportation,” Hart said, making note of both shipping and cars.
Hart said that with the collapse, it is expected there will be a “significant investigation” by the National Transportation Safety Board, and he said it seems like it’s already underway. Hart said, with the investigation, the reopening of the port depends on how long it takes.
“Regionally, there is the threat that there could be a larger impact on the D.C. area economy, so I think that’s something that people will be watching closely,” Hart said.
Hart said if the port can be reopened quickly, then goods can once again begin flowing to the eastern seaboard.
Hart said estimates show 150,000 jobs are tied directly or indirectly tied to Baltimore Port.
“Depending upon how long the port’s actually closed for, I’m guessing we’ll see pretty significant regional disruption,” Hart said. “The hope is that you can open that port quickly and efficiently.”
What’s next?
“Our concerns, our thoughts and our prayers go out to those who are working to help remedy this tragic situation,” Hart said.
Hart mentioned the recent news of issues with airplanes, in addition to the news of the bridge collapse, but said, at least in the United States, there is “enhanced safety” in transportation.
“There’s probably a moment happening in transportation that will require maybe even greater safety features, and greater regulations maybe than what we have now,” Hart said.
“Ultimately, companies are doing everything they can to keep our transportation ways safe,” Hart said.
As for what Utahns can expect, Hart emphasized that it is likely going to be a “fairly minimal” impact on imports tied to automobiles and some agricultural equipment, but that it won’t be a “huge disruption.”
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