The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland collapsed early on the morning of Tuesday, March 26th. The Dali, operated by Synergy Group, departed the Port of Baltimore and headed southeast down the Patapsco River. The ship lost power and put out a distress call at 1:27AM, before striking a support column on the bridge at the mouth of the port at 1:30AM. CBS News reported the Dali was approximately 100 yards, the equivalent of a football field off course at the time of the collision. 

The bridge was almost completely destroyed leading emergency and first responders halting vessel traffic to and from the port and vehicles traveling over the bridge. They also began a search-and-rescue operation for six individuals, a crew of construction workers on the bridge during the collapse, believed to have fallen into the water. That operation has become a recovery mission.

As a major thoroughfare and artery for the city of Baltimore and the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia area, the incident has significant implications for shipping companies and locals alike. Maryland has declared a state of emergency to facilitate federal aid.

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland gave an update on the situation during a news conference on April 1. The priorities of response crews are twofold. First, a recovery operation is underway for the (as of this writing) four remaining bodies. Second, the main focus of the effort is to clear shipping lanes to the Port of Baltimore. There is an urgency to the efforts, but crews are putting extra emphasis on safety as they negotiate the tangled mess of steel and concrete above- and below-water.

A temporary channel is open and accessible to vessels involved with the cleanup. Select barges and boats that have been stuck since the incident, including a Department of Defense barge delivering jet fuel to Dover Air Force Base, are able to use the channel. An effort is underway to open a second channel on the southern side of the Patapsco River to allow deeper draft vessels to pass.

Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge will take several years with early estimates forecasting a cost of $2 billion. Engineers are looking at other options to restore the shipping channel in a shorter time frame. 

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics notes the Port of Baltimore is in the top 20 United States ports by tonnage and the 10th largest port for dry bulk. Additionally, it “is a major hub for the import and export of motorized vehicles.” 

On a local level, the Francis Scott Key Bridge saw 12.5 million vehicles last year. That translates to 15 percent of the total traffic for harbor crossings which will need to be shifted to the Fort McHenry and Harbor Tunnels. This will lead to increased traffic and congestion for the foreseeable future. 

The Francis Scott Key Bridge carried 12.5 million vehicles in 2023, averaging more than 34,000 vehicles a day over the year. This is 15 percent of the total traffic for all 3 harbor crossings, and the diverted traffic would add 18 percent to the combined volumes for the Fort McHenry and Harbor Tunnels. Trucks carrying hazardous cargo (i.e., flammable liquids, corrosive substances) are not allowed to use the tunnels and must take more circuitous and costly routes around the Baltimore beltway.

Sheltered International will continue to monitor the situation in Baltimore. We will update clients if their shipments are affected in any way.