Could ships be rerouted to NJ ports following Key Bridge collapse?
In the wake of a devastating bridge collapse in Baltimore, shipping routes for cargo and cruise ships may undergo significant alterations, potentially rerouting vessels to ports in New Jersey.
At about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a vessel leaving the Port of Baltimore struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. A video shows the ship hitting one of the bridge’s columns before part of the bridge fell onto the ship and then fully collapsed into the Patapsco River.
As of Tuesday afternoon, a massive search was underway as multiple vehicles along with contractors repairing potholes were on the bridge at the time of its collapse, as reported by USA TODAY.
Data from ship tracking and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic shows that on the day of the crash, 29 ships were expected to arrive at the port within 24 hours and 14 more were expected in the coming days.
Two people were rescued during the initial hours of the search, but several construction workers were missing as of late Tuesday afternoon.
The mayor of Baltimore, Brandon M. Scott, declared a state of emergency. It is set to remain in place for 30 days.
“The Executive Order mobilizes the City of Baltimore’s Emergency Operations Plan to deploy emergency resources to protect the persons affected by the incident and expands the resources available to tackle the emergency situation,” the press release stated.
The Port of Baltimore announced that vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore will be suspended until further notice.
Between cargo ships and cruise ships, numerous vessels sail in and out of the port each day. In the wake of this tragedy, where will they all go?
Major ports nearby
The Port of New Jersey and New York is the largest port on the East Coast and a relatively short trip from the Port of Baltimore, making it a viable option for rerouting.
Other major ports along the East Coast that could see rerouted ships include:
● Port of Savannah
● Port of Charleston
● Port of Virginia
● Port of Miami
● Port of Boston
Cruise ships
Three major cruise lines run voyages in and out of the Port of Baltimore: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, all using the port for Caribbean, Canadian and other Atlantic destinations. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said the company is working on alternatives for its ships.
“Our Port Logistics team is currently working on alternatives for our ongoing and upcoming sailings. We will message our guests and travel partners directly once our plans are finalized.”
Royal Caribbean’s, Vision of the Seas is on a 12-night Southern Caribbean sailing that is not due back into port until April 4.