After a tanker slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge near Baltimore, truckers are being rerouted. Adding to the disruption, one of the country’s Top 20 busiest ports has begun diverting cargo vessels.
With a large portion of the bridge at the bottom of the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor, passenger vehicles and big rigs must use alternative routes. The region can also anticipate shortages of imported goods and materials that typically get off-loaded at the Port of Baltimore.
“Aside from the obvious tragedy, this incident will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region,” American Trucking Associations spokesperson Jessica Gail reportedly said.
More than 800 cargo vessels have reportedly been impacted, and freight rates have spiked due to the news of the tragedy and closures. The Port of Baltimore reportedly led the nation in automobile transport in recent years. In 2022, an estimated 750,000 vehicles moved through the port. Approximately 70 percent of the cars, trucks, and SUVs are imported. That means driveaway truckers could rank among the most negatively impacted by the bridge incident and supply chain disruption.
“It’s not just the port of Baltimore that’s going to be impacted. It’s a scramble because each of those containers has now a new journey to clear customs. You’ve got to get a different truck to pick it up at a different port. It creates a whole lot of downstream work,” Ryan Petersen, CEO of supply chain management company Flexport, reportedly said. “The East Coast I-95 corridor is going to be a real disaster.”
Other critical goods and materials that traditionally moved through the Port of Baltimore include imported steel, coal exports to India, water, and fuel. Although the loss of the bridge has resulted in hundreds of vessels being sent to other locations, the Port of Baltimore is still processing as many truckloads as possible. Maritime terminals remain open as officials run the numbers on how many trucks can effectively haul loads along alternative supply chain routes.
Early reports indicated that motorists must avoid the I-695 southeast corridor. Closures are sending vehicles to the I-95 and the I-895 tunnels. Vehicles exceeding 13 feet 6 inches in height or 96 inches wide cannot negotiate the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. Trucks over 13 feet, 6 inches high, or 96 inches wide are prohibited from using the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. The I-95 Fort McHenry Tunnel has a maximum height of 14 feet, 6 inches, and 11 feet wide. Truckers are advised to keep abreast of restrictions, alternative routes, and other emerging information.
Sources:
https://www.ttnews.com/articles/baltimore-trucking-shipping
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ports_in_the_United_States
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