What we know about the Baltimore bridge collapse
On Tuesday morning, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed following a collision with a container ship, causing cars to plummet into the river below.
The headlights of vehicles were visible on the bridge as it descended into the water, while the ship ignited into flames. Baltimore authorities reported that multiple vehicles plunged into the water, with up to seven individuals falling into the river where temperatures were recorded at 8°C.
The vessel involved was the Dali departing from Baltimore bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka.
According to Synergy Marine Group, the ship’s manager, all 22 crew members, including two pilots, have been confirmed safe, with no reported injuries.
Grace Ocean Pte Ltd is listed as the registered owner of the Singapore-flagged vessel.
The ship measures 948 feet (289 meters) in length and was heavily laden with containers. With a capacity for up to 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of cargo, the Dali was carrying 4,679 TEU at the time of the incident.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge served as one of three routes across the Baltimore Harbor and managed a daily traffic flow of 31,000 cars, equivalent to approximately 11.3 million vehicles annually.
Port operations were halted following the collision, impacting one of the smallest container ports along the Northeastern seaboard. This port typically manages approximately one-tenth of the volume processed through the Port of New York and New Jersey.
Lars Jensen, an expert in container shipping, suggested that container traffic originally destined for Baltimore could likely be rerouted to larger ports. However, significant disruptions are anticipated in the shipment of automobiles, coal, and sugar.
Data from the Maryland Port Administration indicates that Baltimore served as the busiest U.S. port for car shipments in 2023, handling a minimum of 750,000 vehicles. Additionally, in the same year, it ranked as the second busiest port for coal exports.
Furthermore, Baltimore stands as the largest U.S. port in terms of volume for handling farm and construction machinery, as well as agricultural commodities like sugar and salt.
Source Reuters www.reuters.com
