On March 26, a shipping vessel bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Ships moving in and out of the Port of Baltimore have been suspended until further notice as the Army Corps of Engineers works on reopening the channel. While the timeline is subject to change due to potential wreckage complexities, a permanent channel is expected to be reopened and operational by the end of May.
Like many disasters, the bridge collapse not only directly affects the livelihoods of local community members, but showcases how catastrophes can strain the flow of goods and the wider supply chain.
As one of the busiest ports in the U.S., ripple effects are being felt across the supply chain as automakers and other shippers look to reroute shipments amid the port’s freeze on export containers.
Our team is actively reporting on how the disaster is disrupting supply chains, and we will continue to update this post with further developments our readers need to know. In the meantime, here is a roundup of our coverage so far.