28 Mar 2024

The Port of Baltimore is closed indefinitely! Maersk, CMA CGM, Evergreen, MSC, etc. issued emergency announcements

Subsequently, Maersk issued a statement confirming that the container ship in question was chartered by the company and loaded with cargo from Maersk customers. Follow-up services will suspend port calls at the Port of Baltimore and cargo will be transshipped with delays. CMA CGM, Evergreen, MSC and others also issued announcements saying that they would no longer accept new bookings at the port.

Source: CCTV News
 

For the impact of this accident, the analysis believes that cargo delays or losses will be inevitable, and the Port of Baltimore will be closed indefinitely during the rescue period, or a series of chain reactions, especially the supply chain of automobiles and coal will be greatly impacted and face the threat of transportation disruption.

 

A number of shipping companies issued emergency announcements
 

>> Maersk

Maersk announced that a number of routes will be affected by the Dali bridge collision, including transatlantic TA2 and TA5, transpacific TP12, Amex (US East Coast-South Africa route) and AGAS (US East Coast-Caribbean Sea).

Maersk said it was temporarily unable to reach Baltimore's Helen Delich Bentley port due to damage and debris from the bridge. In light of this, Maersk will ignore Baltimore stops on all services for the foreseeable future until the area is deemed safe to pass.

Containerized cargo bound for Baltimore will be diverted to a nearby port for unloading and transported by truck or rail to its destination. Maersk is closely monitoring the security situation in Baltimore and assessing the feasibility of resuming traffic, while alerting customers to possible delays in Baltimore due to the need to unload cargo at other ports.

In the announcement, Maersk said: "We are shocked by what happened in Baltimore, and we stand with all those affected. We are closely monitoring the investigations conducted by the relevant authorities and Synergy, and we will do our best to keep our customers informed. ”

Source: dailymail

 

>> Evergreen

 

Evergreen issued an announcement stating that for all export shipments originally scheduled to be loaded in Baltimore, please contact the customer service team to review options for all shipments through alternative channels. The Port Authority of Maryland has recommended that the port will be closed for at least a month. As a result, Evergreen is arranging for all export cargo originally scheduled to be loaded at the Baltimore terminal to be retrieved from the terminal as soon as possible. All costs involved in removing, storing, or arranging for an alternate location must be borne by the shipper. For all confirmed Baltimore bookings, we will cancel bookings beginning March 28, 2024.
The terminal remains open for all imports currently in operation and normally handled by the Ports America Chesapeake terminal. Import berths can be carried out as usual, and empty containers that are not loaded on the ship should also be returned as usual. Further notice will be given as soon as there are any imported cargo vessels to be unloaded at the Port of Baltimore.
 
>> CMA CGM

 

CMA CGM said in the announcement that for the export of goods from the port of Baltimore:
  • Containers in the port will be held until the port is reopened, unless otherwise instructed by the shipper.

  • In view of the current situation, from 11:00 a.m. on March 26, 2024, the terminal will stop accepting export cargo until further notice. Please contact CMA CGM Americas Customer Service to find other loading options.

  • In either case, the cost of rerouting the cargo to an alternate port of loading will be borne by the shipper.

  • Until further notice, Baltimore is no longer accepting new export reservations. Alternative ports will include Norfolk, where possible, or New York Harbor.

  •  

For import containers to Baltimore:
  • Those unloaded at other ports will be there waiting to be picked up, and CMA CGM's bill of lading will also be terminated here.

  • For goods that have been booked but not yet loaded at the original port, please contact the original booking port to verify availability.

  • Until further notice, we will not be accepting new import bookings for shipment to Baltimore. Alternative ports will include Norfolk, where possible, or New York Harbor.

 

 

>>MSC

In an update, MSC said: "We expect significant delays on board and currently at the Baltimore terminal. "With the Port Authority closing the port, we also have no choice but to cease all service to Baltimore for the foreseeable future until port access reopens and safety is declared. We anticipate that this will take a few months, during which time all MSC customers' cargo will be diverted and unloaded at other ports. ”

MSC added that they are working on contingency plans and will be in direct contact with each cargo interest party in the coming days, while closely monitoring the situation in Baltimore.

 

Hitting the bridge has serious consequences

The rammed Francis Scott Key Bridge With a main span of 1,200 feet (366 meters), it is the third-longest span of any continuous truss bridge in the world and the longest in the Baltimore metro area.

The bridge is located on a shipping lane in and out of the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest ports on the East Coast of the United States, and traffic in and out of the port has been suspended at this time.

About 12 large vessels and a similar number of tugboats are said to be trapped in Baltimore's harbor, including cargo ships, car carriers and an oil tanker named Palanca Rio.

And the Port of Baltimore was closed indefinitely during rescue and salvage operations. Even the mere removal of bridge debris and the nearly 300-meter-long wreck of the Dali from the river could take weeks.

Commenting on how long shipping will be disrupted, Maryland officials said, "We don't have an estimate (of time) because our only focus is saving lives." ”

Baltimore handled 52.3 million tons of cargo worth about $80.8 billion last year, ranking ninth in the U.S. for both port metrics and records. This means that for every day Baltimore closes, $217 million in trade does not pass through its terminals.

According to the Maryland Port Authority, it is the busiest port for auto transportation in the United States, handling more than 750,000 vehicles by 2023. The port handles import and export operations for major automakers such as Nissan, Toyota, General Motors, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen, including luxury models from Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley. Currently, automakers are scrambling to find alternative routes to import and export vehicles.

 

It is also the largest port in the United States that handles farm and construction machinery, as well as agricultural products. There are also cruise ships carrying more than 444,000 passengers departing from the port, which is a major destination for Norwegian Cruises, Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean Cruises.
 
The port was the second-busiest port for coal exports last year, exporting 22 million tonnes of coal and a small amount of other metals and minerals. Ernie Thrasher, chief executive of U.S. coal coal company Xcoal Energy & Resources, said the bridge collapse could disrupt coal exports from the Port of Baltimore for up to six weeks and block up to 2.5 million tonnes of coal shipments.

"We do expect a ripple effect, but it's too early to say what the impact will be," a shipping industry insider said. ”

Bethann Rooney, port director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said it is "actively working with our industry partners to respond as needed to ensure supply chain continuity on the East Coast of the United States." ”

 

 

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