Virginia port offers support as alternative for ship traffic affected by Baltimore bridge collapse

The Virginia Port Authority offered its port in Norfolk as an alternative for ships that were previously expected to travel through Baltimore before a large container ship caused a bridge to collapse early Tuesday morning. 

The ship rammed into one of the support columns for the Francis Scott Key Bridge at approximately 1:30 a.m., which caused the bridge to collapse. Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said there were six people unaccounted for who were on the bridge at the time of the incident, but one body has been found, according to Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter.

The Virginia Port Authority said it has experience with handling import and export surges and is standing ready to help Baltimore. Operations at Baltimore’s ports have been halted for the time being.

“Our operating team is already working with ocean carriers whose vessels were due to call Baltimore and offering the capability of our port to discharge cargoes as requested,” Port of Virginia spokesman Joe Harris said in a statement. “The Port of Virginia has a significant amount of experience in handling surges of import and export cargo and is ready to provide whatever assistance we can to the team at the Port of Baltimore.”

Ship traffic and operations that should have gone through Baltimore will now likely be rerouted through other ports, including ports in Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania. However, the effects of Baltimore’s closure could be felt as far south as the Carolinas and Georgia.

Norfolk is the closest port to the crash, so it will likely see the most traffic, according to Rachel Shames, vice president of pricing and procurement for CV International, a Norfolk-based international logistics and transportation company. However, the port in Newport News, Virginia, has facilities that can accommodate the large cargo ships.

“There is capacity at [Newport News Marine Terminal] … but not a lot, nothing like what Baltimore can do. It will not be as simple as just shifting,” Shames told Virginia Business. “Unfortunately, I think we are going to be looking at congestion, and I just don’t know how long. That can mean delays for cargo [and] probably extra costs. It’s a ripple, a domino effect.”

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Other states have also offered to help with the aftermath of the bridge collapse, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), who sent aid to Maryland through the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

“I have directed [the Florida Division of Emergency Management] to offer assistance to the State of Maryland, if needed, following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” DeSantis said in a post on X. “The State of Florida stands willing to help and our prayers are with the victims and first responders.”