As you may be aware, in the early morning of March 26, a cargo ship lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key bridge, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River. The incident has resulted in the temporary shutdown of one of the most prominent and heavily traveled hazardous materials routes in the Northeast corridor. The impacts of the Baltimore bridge collapse on the freight industry will be far-reaching.

Approximately 31,000 vehicles use this bridge each day and about a quarter of them are commercial trucks. Of the three alternate routes, only one is not prohibited from allowing the transport of natural and compressed gases. Trucks hauling hazardous materials will need to take the longest alternate route along the western section of I-695. Additionally, all vessel traffic into the Port of Baltimore has been suspended causing costly diversions of cargo ships. Experts are reporting that repairs could take up to two years.

While the Port of Baltimore is modest in size compared to other ports in the Northeast, customers should still anticipate potential delays. Regular volumes, shipments with tight timetables, and same-day and next-day shipments are most likely to be affected. Proactively seeking alternate schedules may help to mitigate the impact.

Despite widespread diversions and the shutdown of the port, logistics experts do not expect a major supply-chain crisis. We encourage customers to communicate openly with their providers to manage the changing routes and traffic routes caused by this tragedy.

Contact us today for guidance on diverting your freight.