Baltimore, Maryland – The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024 caused extensive damage to the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest seaports in the United States. Currently, there is still no specific timeline for reopening the port.
The bridge collapse caused part of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River, damaging a boat and killing two people. The Port of Baltimore was closed immediately after the incident to ensure safety and conduct an investigation.
Authorities are trying to clean up the scene of the bridge collapse and conduct an investigation into the cause of the incident. The cleanup is expected to take days, and the investigation could take weeks or even months.
The closure of the Port of Baltimore has had a significant impact on the global supply chain. The Port of Baltimore is a transit point for billions of dollars worth of goods each year, and its closure has forced many cargo ships to divert to other ports.
Per President Biden, he will “move heaven and earth” to quickly reopen the port.
The problem is that the investigation has to be done first… to deal with all the lawsuits that will happen, the NTSB has to reconstruct what happened. That takes time, and it’s a crime scene at the moment.
Then they have to remove/demolish all the debris that might be a hazard to navigation in at least one part of the bridge… that includes sonar mapping the river, targeting anything in the way, removing it (which may involve more demolition underwater) and then re-mapping to be sure it’s clear.
Once all that is done and the channel is verified, they can check buoy positions and re-open for traffic in at least one direction.
TLDR: No matter how important the port, this isn’t going to be a fast process.
Currently, Baltimore port officials are working with federal agencies to find a solution to reopen the port quickly and safely. However, there is still no specific timeline for the port’s reopening.
