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LASTING IMPACT
Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse ‘will spark US food & car supply issues & strengthen calls to cut foreign imports’
Major chains such as Amazon and FedEx have distribution hubs near the Port of Baltimore
THE horror bridge collapse in Maryland will result in widespread disruption to trade but Americans are set to avoid a return to the supply chain chaos seen during the Covid-19 crisis, experts have said.
Shipping has been suspended at the Port of Baltimore after a cargo vessel bound for Asia crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning.
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Six people are feared missing in freezing waters while the impact of the collision sent cars plunging into the waterway.
Trade experts have warned that widespread disruption is expected as city chiefs scramble to clear debris and open shipping lanes before attempting to rebuild the bridge.
They also claim that there will be calls to cut dependency on imports.
The automobile and agricultural sectors will most likely be impacted.
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Tinglong Dai, a business expert at Johns Hopkins University, warned there could be up to seven months of disruption.
“It is a 1.5-mile long bridge. It’s not going to be built in a couple of months. It’s not going to happen within three or four months,” he told The U.S. Sun.
He believes that the automobile and logistical industries will be among the most impacted.
Major brands such as Amazon and FedEx have distribution warehouses near the port, but the Port of Baltimore's share of trade along the East Coast is relatively smaller compared to its New York and New Jersey counterparts.
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Darren Spinck, an associate fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, alluded to the areas where there could be delays.
“There will be supply [chain] delays on the East Coast with car imports, including Jaguar Land Rovers,” he said.
Shock vid show Baltmore's Dali cargo ship ‘lose POWER’ and ‘gush smoke’ before crash collapses Francis Scott Key Bridge
“There also will be a short-term impact on food supplies as the port handles significant imports of agricultural machinery and commodities, including sugar and salt, as well as fertilizers.”
Cargo workers at the port handle imports and exports of popular car brands, including Audi, Bentley, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Jaguar Land Rover.
Ford and General Motors have already taken steps to reroute Baltimore's shipments.
"It's going to have an impact," Ford Chief Financial Officer John Lawler told Bloomberg News.
"We'll have to divert parts to other ports. It will probably lengthen the supply chain a bit."
Baltimore's port terminals handled more than 800,000 cars, per the state government.
Theo Zenou, also a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, said goods will be diverted to New Jersey and New York.
He expects the port to be closed for the foreseeable future, but wouldn't put a timeframe on when it will reopen.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed after a cargo ship bound for Asia smashed into one of its support pillars. Here is what we know so far:
- Search and rescue operations launched
- Six people are missing after falling into the water
- One rushed to the hospital in serious condition
- Sonar technology found cars in the water
- Baltimore mayor compares the scene to an action movie
- Cops do not suspect any terror links
- Cargo ship appears to have suffered power outages before the collision
- White House on hand to offer federal assistance
"This will inevitably have an impact on shipping. At this stage, it is too soon to be able to predict what that impact will be," Zenou said.
"But there are contingencies in place, and we can expect US authorities and shipping companies to work together to find solutions."
Ports in Virginia, New York, and New Jersey are reportedly prepared to handle any extra ships, per Bloomberg.
But Spinck warned that any disruption will not be comparable to what Americans experienced during the pandemic.
“US consumers will likely not see a return to the 2021 nightmare supply chain breakdown on the West Coast when trucks and ships were logjammed due to a shortage of stevedores at the Port of Los Angeles,” he said.
“The shortage of workers to load and unload shipments, combined with increased demand for consumer products during the pandemic and fewer ships arriving from Asia, caused a perfect storm.
“Supply chains unraveled, and subsequently, there were shortages of consumer products."
Spinck speculated that some politicians could call on the US to boost its domestic industries rather than relying on imports.
CUTTING DEPENDENCY
Supply chain fears are rife following the chaos.
Lawmakers fear the impacts the bridge collapse will have on the East Coast.
"Losing this bridge will devastate the entire area, as well as the entire East Coast," Johnny Ray Salling, a Maryland state senator, said.
Foreign cargo handled last year by the port totaled more than $80 billion.
The cargo ship, named the Dali, was bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, but crashed into one of the steel beams supporting the bridge.
Disaster struck around 30 minutes after the vessel left the terminal at Point Breeze.
Pilots and crews were not injured and have all been accounted for, officials say.
But the ship lost power twice before it crashed into one of the bridge's pylons.
A dossier produced by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency revealed the ship lost propulsion, according to ABC News.
HORROR UNFOLDS
City officials have stressed that there were no signs of terrorism as they scramble to investigate what caused the ship to crash.
Dramatic footage showed the lights going out before electricity was restored.
The ship went into darkness a second time, and smoke began billowing from the vessel.
But it collided with the beam, and moments later, the bridge collapsed into a domino-like fashion.
Cars were sent plunging into the icy water as the structure imploded.
Six people remain missing, and officials said they were part of a construction team.
The workers were filling potholes on the bridge before it came down.
Shocking aerial pictures have documented the wreckage of the doomed vessel.
The disaster was branded unimaginable by Brandon Scott, the mayor of Baltimore.
He compared the scenes to something out of an action movie.
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The bridge had been a constant in Baltimore since it opened for traffic in 1977.
The bridge was critical to Interstate 695, which carried north and southbound traffic around the city.
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