Port Blocked By Baltimore Bridge Collapse Is Key Hub For US Shipping

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the poet who penned the lyrics to the US national anthem, used to carry around 34,000 vehicles a day across one of the busiest harbors in the United States.

Baltimore, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 26th Mar, 2024) Baltimore‘s Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the poet who penned the lyrics to the US national anthem, used to carry around 34,000 vehicles a day across one of the busiest harbors in the United States.

Its nighttime collapse, within seconds of being struck by a container ship, is likely to cause major economic damage for as long as it continues to block shipping in the Port of Baltimore.

The bridge’s dramatic destruction shut the port for maritime trafficwhich last year accounted for more than 52 million tons of foreign cargo, worth some $80 billionaccording to a recent statement from Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s office.

Baltimore is the deepest harbor in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, and handles the highest volume of autos and light trucks in the United Statesas well as the largest quantities of imported sugar and gypsum.

The Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest major US port in terms of both foreign cargo handled and foreign cargo value, and is directly responsible for more than 15,000 jobs while supporting almost 140,000 more.

“We’re going to do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers,” President Joe Biden told reporters in a brief address from the The White House.

“I’m directing my team to move heaven and earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as humanly possible,” he said, adding: “This is gonna take some time.”

“The people of Baltimore can count on us to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt,” he said.

– ‘Disrupt commercial activities’ –

The Port of Baltimore generates around $3.

3 billion in total personal income each year, according to the Maryland State Archives, and brings in almost $400 million in annual tax revenues.

More than 50 ocean carriers use the port every year, making a total of almost 1,800 trips annually.

Alongside its use as a major port for so-called roll on/roll off container shipping, the Port of Baltimore also serves as a cruise terminal.

Last year, more than 440,000 individuals cruised out of the port — the most since 2012, according to the Governor‘s office.

The extended closure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge “will inevitably disrupt commercial activities and supply chains,” the Maryland Chamber of Commerce said in a statement.

– ‘Inadequate’ protection –

Major bridges over shipping lanes like this one are supposed to be designed in such a way to minimize damage in the event of a collision, according to bridge designer Robert Benaim.

“Clearly the protection of the piers in this instance was inadequate,” he said.

“A pier or column of a bridge could never resist the impact of a large ship. They must be protected from collision,” he added.

“It’s evident that the pier could not withstand the impact energy, leading to its failure and subsequent collapse of the steel truss and reinforced concrete deck superstructure,” said University of Warwick structural engineering professor Toby Mottram.

“The extent of the damage to the bridge superstructure appears disproportionate to the cause, a matter for future investigation,” he added.