Baltimore bridge collapse shutters port indefinitely, impacting supply chain

foxbusiness.com:

Supply chain expert Bindiya Vakil discusses how the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse could impact shipping and trade on The Bottom Line.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday after a container ship lost power navigating the channel and collided with one of the bridge's support pilings has resulted in the indefinite closure of the Port of Baltimore, which will impact the supply chain on the Eastern Seaboard and beyond.

Shortly after 1 a.m. EST on Tuesday, the container ship MV Dali – which is 948 feet long and was laden with stacks of containers – lost power as it was approaching the channel underneath the bridge. The ship's crew and harbor pilots sent a mayday call which enabled authorities to stop traffic over the bridge.

After the container ship attempted to execute an emergency stop by deploying its anchors, it struck a pylon of the bridge which toppled much of the 1.6-mile span into the waters of the Patapsco River. A construction crew was on the bridge at the time of the accident and authorities said eight people fell into the river, two of whom were rescued with six reported missing. The Coast Guard announced a transition away from search and rescue efforts to a recovery operation Tuesday night.

The state of Maryland and the federal Department of Transportation announced the closure of the shipping lane to the Port of Baltimore until further notice as the investigation, recovery and clean up efforts get underway.

EX-MERCHANT MARINE CAPTAIN WARNS THERE IS 'NO WAY OF CONTROLLING' CARGO SHIP WITH MECHANICAL ERROR

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse prompted the closure of the Port of Baltimore. It is unclear when the shipping hub will reopen. (Jasper Colt/USA Today / IMAGN)

Jean-Pa