NEW YORK — We now know the “Dali” passed through Port Elizabeth last week en route to Baltimore. After Tuesday’s catastrophic crash, local ports are preparing for an influx of ships and experts are warning of supply chain issues.
When the massive cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge early in the morning, it brought maritime traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore to a standstill.
“The fact is that commerce is stopping. No ships are going in. No ships are going out,” said James Mercante, president of the New York Board of Pilot Commissioners.
The port is one of the largest on the East Coast, and serves as a key shipping hub for vehicles, international goods, and other cargoes, and processes more than 1 million crates every year. On Tuesday afternoon, President Joe Biden spoke about the port’s significance.
“Around 850,000 vehicles go through that port every single year. We’re going to do everything we can to get it back up and running — 15,000 jobs depend on that port,” Biden said.
“When we’re looking at a major port like Baltimore that’s bringing in billions of dollars of goods, they’re going to have to be delivered in some way,” said Rudi Leuschner, a professor at Rutgers University.
In the event the port is inaccessible, as it was Tuesday, Baltimore ships can be diverted to ports in New York and New Jersey, like Port Newark and Port Elizabeth.
“What the real question is: are they going to be able to deal with on everything that happens behind the port? It’s nice enough to drop off containers on the dock, but they have to go somewhere and that’s where I’m worried we might see congestion and delays,” Leuschner said.
Port Authority spokesperson Bethann Rooney told CBS New York, “The port of New York and New Jersey is proactively working with our industry partners to respond as needed and ensure supply chain continuity along the East Coast.”
The Port Authority expects to begin accepting diverted cargo ships as early as Tuesday.
Leuschner said the biggest issue will be vehicles — where to put them when they arrive at Port Newark or Port Elizabeth. He estimates most delays won’t be felt for several weeks.
