Collapsed Baltimore bridge could take months to reopen, disrupting industries from cars to coal

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge has blocked shipments in and out of the Baltimore port that handled 1.3 million tonnes of cargo last year

Experts say it could take months to remove the wreckage and an extended disruption could have major economic consequences

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The Dali cargo vessel crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 26. Photo: NTSB via Reuters

Published: 5:08pm, 27 Mar 2024

After a cargo ship crashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and caused it to collapse, shipments in and out of the Port of Baltimore could be blocked for weeks.

The Dali container ship collided with one of the bridge’s support beams early Tuesday morning, causing large portions of the 2.5km (1.6 mile) bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River, with the wreckage effectively blocking ships from moving in and out of the Port of Baltimore.

The port is currently closed to vessels until further notice, with officials saying it’s unclear when it will be able to reopen.

Industry experts say it could take months and that an extended disruption could have major economic consequences, as well as direct impacts on the port’s biggest imports and exports.

“If the port is closed, it’s going to impact all of them,” Daraius Irani, chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute at Towson University, told Business Insider.

The Port of Baltimore is the top port in the US for roll-on/roll-off cargo, which refers to wheeled cargo like vehicles, construction equipment, and agriculture equipment, according to the port.