The collapse of the Baltimore Bridge has forced changes in freight transportation and may have an impact on freight rates on the US East route

This week, a major bridge in Baltimore, an important port on the East Coast of the United States, was hit and collapsed by a container ship. After this accident, Baltimore's ship traffic will be indefinitely suspended, forcing coal QSTE420TM steel transportation, cars, and light trucks to change lanes. According to us, Baltimore Port, as the second largest coal port in the United States, exported approximately 23.46 million tons in 23 years, mainly to Asia Pacific regions such as India and China.

Regarding the impact of this accident, some local Indian QSTE420TM steel traders have expressed that if coal exports are suspended, it may lead to an increase in coal prices in India, as it is about to enter the peak summer season for brick and tile production. At the same time, as one of the busiest ports on the East Coast, some industry experts believe that this accident is highly likely to cause serious blockage and congestion of shipping traffic in the East Coast, thereby increasing shipping costs in the region. According to local car traders, due to the indefinite suspension of entry and exit from the port, they will rearrange delivery routes through other East Coast ports, and the impact on their operations is currently relatively small.

In the short term, the Baltimore port will be closed for at least a few weeks in the future after this accident, and the transfer of goods may cause congestion at nearby ports and have an impact on freight costs. But in the long run, this bridge still needs to be redesigned and rebuilt, which will be a costly and time-consuming project. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the progress of this incident, We will continue to monitor QSTE420TM steel.