Explainer | The Baltimore bridge collapse and its impact on global trade
- Blocking passage into and out of the Port of Baltimore, the wreckage is shutting down ninth largest harbour in the US, a vital link to both Southeast Asia and China
- China was Baltimore’s No 2 import and No 3 export destination in 2023, and a leading consumer of coal shipped through the port
Three days after the Francis Scott Key Bridge crossing the Port of Baltimore was struck by a container ship and collapsed, killing six, officials have turned to restoring the vital shipping lane that is now unpassable with debris.
Early on Tuesday, the 984-foot (300-metre) Dali lost power and diverged from the standard path before crashing into one of the bridge’s pillars. Though traffic had been stopped on the bridge after the crew transmitted a distress signal, six construction workers and their vehicle plunged into the river.
Bodies of two of the six have been recovered. Search for others was halted on Thursday as the debris made it dangerous for divers to continue. The ship also has some containers with hazardous material.
All 22 crew members, almost all from India, have remained aboard the vessel and have been questioned by a team of the National Transportation Safety Board. Investigators have obtained the ship’s data recorder and so far ruled out foul play.
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US bridge collapses in Baltimore after ship collision, leaving several people missing
Clean-up and rebuild
The US government has announced US$60 million in emergency relief aid for early recovery and clean-up.
