Important Takeaways:

• Baltimore bridge collapse to bring trade and traffic chaos
• The tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge along I-695 in Maryland into the Baltimore harbor following a “ship strike” early Tuesday morning is expected to cause major economic disruptions to the area and across the country.
• The port, a major route for shipping containers and cruise liners, is the deepest harbor in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, closer to the Midwest than other East Coast ports, with five public and 12 private terminals, according to the Maryland government website.
• The I-695 is also a critical link for trucking and motor vehicles linking Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York and the disaster comes ahead of the upcoming Easter Weekend.
• The port is the busiest in the U.S. for car shipments, handling more than 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration. It is also the largest U.S. port by volume for handling farm and construction machinery, as well as agricultural products.
• According to the ship tracking service Marine Traffic, there are currently eight bulk carriers and one vehicle carrier headed for Baltimore that are now waiting at anchor just off Ken Island, which is about 20 miles south of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

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