The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March has put a spotlight on the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest harbours in the U.S., which paused shipping and immediately halted all vessel traffic in and out.
The Port of Baltimore is the ninth largest U.S. port by overall trade volume. In 2023 alone, it moved around 50 million tonnes of goods between the U.S. and other countries.
Although it’s smaller than other ports on the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, it still plays a critical role in processing U.S. international trade traffic.
That’s especially true for some products, such as automobiles, heavy machinery and coal. It also handles a large share of U.S. sugar imports.
The immediate impact of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge will be felt by the 15,000 or so workers in the port and about 1,40,000 others who depend on it.