BALTIMORE, March  26, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Baltimore's Francis Scott Key 
Bridge, named after the poet who penned the lyrics to the US national anthem, 
used to carry an average of around 31,000 vehicles a day across one of the 
busiest harbors in the United States.
      
 Its nighttime collapse, within seconds of being struck by a container ship, 
is likely to cause substantial economic damage for as long as it continues to 
block shipping in the Port of Baltimore.  
       The bridge's dramatic destruction shut the port for all maritime traffic, 
which last year accounted for more than 52 million tons of foreign cargo, worth 
some $80 billion, according to a recent statement from Maryland Governor Wes 
Moore's office. 
       Baltimore is the deepest harbor in Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, and handles 
the highest volume of autos and light trucks in the United States, as well as 
the largest quantities of imported sugar and gypsum.
       The Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest major US port in terms of both 
foreign cargo handled and foreign cargo value, and is directly responsible for 
more than 15,000 jobs, supporting almost 140,000 more. 
       It generates around $3.3 billion in total personal income each year, 
according to the Maryland State Archives, and brings in almost $400 million in 
annual tax revenues.
       More than 50 ocean carriers use the port every year, making a total of 
almost 1,800 trips annually.
       Alongside its use as a major port for so-called roll on/roll off container 
shipping, the Port of Baltimore also serves as a cruise terminal. 
       Last year, more than 440,000 individuals cruised out of the port --  the 
most since 2012, according to the Governor's office.
       The extended closure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge "will inevitably 
disrupt commercial activities and supply chains," the Maryland Chamber of 
Commerce said in a statement. 
       "Understanding the monumental task ahead to recover from this tragedy and 
restore this vital transportation link, we urge all residents and businesses to 
exercise patience and make the necessary long-term adjustments to their daily 
routines, travel and operations," they added.
       
       - 'Inadequate' protection -

       
       Major bridges over shipping lanes like this one are supposed to be designed 
in such a way to minimize damage in the event of a collision, according to 
bridge designer Robert Benaim.
       "Clearly the protection of the piers in this instance was inadequate," he 
said. 
       "A pier or column of a bridge could never resist the impact of a large 
ship. They must be protected from collision," he added.
       "It's evident that the pier couldn't withstand the impact energy, leading 
to its failure and subsequent collapse of the steel truss and reinforced 
concrete deck superstructure," said University of Warwick structural 
engineering professor Toby Mottram.
       "The extent of the damage to the bridge superstructure appears 
disproportionate to the cause, a matter for future investigation," he added.