Bridge collapse puts shipping centre stage
▶ Countries in the Middle East are aware of what can happen when this network runs aground
For a global transport network that carries 90 per cent of the world’s traded goods, international shipping is – surprisingly – somewhat out of sight, out of mind. Most people go about their daily lives oblivious to the thousands of ships that carry millions of containers across oceans and seas, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is only when this carefully calibrated supply chain breaks down that most people truly appreciate just how essential shipping is.
When the Singapore-flagged container vessel Dali hit a major bridge in the eastern US city of Baltimore, Maryland, on Tuesday, the world sat up and took notice. The moment of the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s collapse was caught on camera and endlessly replayed. In addition to the tragic loss of six people who were carrying out maintenance work on the bridge when it came down, the crash looks set have a cascade effect on jobs, businesses, trade and transport not just in the US north-east, but internationally.
Countries in the Middle East, home to some of the most strategic waterways in the world, are acutely aware of what can happen when shipping runs aground. Almost exactly three years ago, the Panama-flagged vessel Ever Given, operated by Evergreen Marine Corp, blocked Egypt’s Suez Canal for nearly a week. The enormous cargo ship was released in a difficult salvage operation but not before costing the world billions in lost trade. Elsewhere in the region, the disruption in the Red Sea caused by Houthi attacks on shipping is not just costing companies millions in rerouting and higher insurance costs, it is also hurting the flow of humanitarian aid to war-torn Sudan.
Major accidents in shipping are relatively rare; according to a 2023 report from German insurers Allianz, 38 large ships were lost worldwide last year, down by more than a third year on year and the lowest total in the report’s history. But when things go wrong, the economic and environmental cost can be severe. So, how can shipping safety be improved?
Plenty of ideas are in the mix. According to maritime software manufacturer BASSnet, advanced digital systems can ensure that vessels comply with shipping’s seven main international safety codes, and offer systematic and detailed records of audits, inspections and risk assessments. Bestin-class technology can also automate navigation and route planning, reducing risks and allowing seafarers to concentrate on other tasks.
Technology offers myriad ways to make shipping safer, but it is the world’s 1.9 million seafarers who should take priority. For that to happen, crews’ mental and physical health must be paramount. Creating a safety culture that reaches from the boardroom to the engine room is also essential.
Accidents will happen and Baltimore is not an isolated incident; last month a vessel rammed a bridge in Guangzhou, China, killing two people. But given shipping’s central place in both national and international economies, the margin for error is small. This is why Baltimore should sound an alarm for the industry to build on the progress it has already made.