June 11, 2024
The Port of Baltimore has now fully reopened after the cleanup following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge caused by the vessel Dali on March 26. The U.S. Coast Guard has officially lifted all restrictions on the Fort McHenry Channel, allowing 24-hour commercial vessel traffic. Export dwell times at the Port remain high due to clearing of the container backlog.
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Update 15th April 2024
On Tuesday March 26, vessel Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, MD, resulting in severe damage to the structure and the Baltimore port remaining closed after the accident. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) advised they are working quickly and safely to clear the channel and restore full service at port of Baltimore.
The tentative timeline released by the USACE suggests that the port of Baltimore will potentially return to full operational capacity by the end of May, with plans also underway to open another shipping channel later in April. However, the entity expressed that the timeline to reopen Baltimore port may still be impacted by significant adverse weather conditions or changes in the complexity of the wreckage.
All sea freight shipments to and from the Baltimore area will be transferred to other ports such as New York or Norfolk via intermodal service until all debris is cleared and it is deemed safe for vessels to once again pass through the area.
Please note that there will likely be delays as both on-dock cargo and vessels are redirected to other locations. We are keeping a close eye on the situation and will keep you informed of any changes, while doing our utmost to minimize the impact on your supply chain.
As further information is revealed with regards to the Baltimore Bridge crash, we would like to first and foremost extend our condolences to all those impacted by this tragic event.
UPDATE: 28th March, 2024
On Tuesday March 26, a vessel collided with the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, MD, resulting in severe damage to the structure. Our thoughts go out to those impacted by this event and as of this writing, all vessel operations into and out of Baltimore have been suspended until further notice.
All sea freight shipments to and from the Baltimore area will be transferred to other ports such as New York or Norfolk via intermodal service until all debris is cleared and it is deemed safe for vessels to once again pass through the area.
Force Majeure has been declared by carriers such as CMA-CGM and Evergreen* As such, we have implemented the following contingency measures:
*General average has not yet been declared since the total cost of damages is still being calculated.
Please note that there will likely be delays as both on-dock cargo and vessels are redirected to other locations. We are keeping a close eye on the situation and will keep you informed of any changes, while doing our utmost to minimize the impact on your supply chain.
Thank you for your continued support!
The above information is gathered and compiled from several public sources that, to the best of our knowledge, represent accurate and correct information. It is always the intent of our company to present accurate information. Crane Worldwide Logistics LLC accepts no liability or responsibility for the information published herein. The comments reflected in the document reflect the views of the Ocean Product Management leadership.
As an update from a supply chain perspective, the impact of the current situation is creating significant delays.
“Aside from the obvious tragedy, this incident will have significant and long-lasting impacts on the region,” American Trucking Associations spokesperson Jessica Gail said, calling Key Bridge and Baltimore’s port “critical components” of the nation’s infrastructure. Gail noted that 1.3 million trucks cross the bridge every year — 3,600 a day.
We continue to work with our clients on a daily basis to ensure full support is given at this time to keep operations running smoothly. The impact of the bridge collapse will significantly impact operations in the future and at this time, evidently no timeframe is available as to when 'normality' will resume. In the meantime, we can work in partnership with out clients to address the current challenges and look for longer-term solutions in case necessary.
If you are looking for storage solutions in order to prevent disruption to your operations, Crane Worldwide does have warehousing capacity available in both New Jersey and Baltimore.
The 3PL warehouse in New Jersey is 134,000 sq. ft with 36 ft high clearance. There are 20 dock doors and 26 trailer spaces, there is also a drive-in ramp available. The outside yard is fully secured to accommodate trailers.
The Baltimore warehouse facility has easy access to major highways and is only 10 minutes from the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. This is a gated facility with a secure yard and trailer parking, 42 docks available for cross-dock.
Reach out here, for an advisor to connect with you, we are here to help!
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