The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse has had a significant impact on travel in Baltimore – affecting both cruises and cargo shipments. Carnival Cruise Line was forced to temporarily relocate its Baltimore operations to Norfolk, Virginia due to the closure of Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic. This unexpected change could result in a potential $10 million loss.
Carnival's ship, Carnival Legend, was originally set to arrive back in Baltimore on Sunday, March 31. However, passengers will now disembark in Norfolk instead. Carnival announced on Tuesday that there will be a complimentary bus service available to transport guests back to Baltimore from Norfolk. The journey between the two cities may take up to five hours.
As a result of the bridge collapse, the upcoming Carnival Legend cruise scheduled for March 31 will now depart from and return to Norfolk.
"Our hearts are with the families and first responders affected in Baltimore," expressed Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We are grateful for President Biden's commitment to utilizing all resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor for marine traffic promptly. As we finalize our plans, we will keep our future cruise guests informed about our return to Baltimore. We are thankful for the swift response and assistance from Norfolk officials."
"We are actively monitoring the situation and eager to resume operations in Baltimore as soon as possible," a Carnival spokesperson informed CBS News.
Regarding the business impact, the spokesperson mentioned to CBS News that the company anticipates a decrease of less than $10 million in both adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, as well as adjusted net income for the entirety of 2024.
Cruise Lines International Association, the leading cruise industry trade association, reported that 12 cruise ships completed 115 voyages through Baltimore in 2024. In the previous year, approximately 444,000 cruise passengers traveled through the port, ranking it as the 29th largest in the U.S.
While Royal Caribbean and American Cruise Lines also operate ships to Baltimore, it remains uncertain if those lines have been affected. CBS News has contacted multiple cruise companies for statements.
The tragic incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, as a cargo ship known as the Dali lost power and collided with a column of the bridge. Despite a mayday call from the ship, first responders managed to prevent vehicles from entering the bridge, but unfortunately, eight construction workers were on the bridge at the time, involved in concrete pouring.
Although two of the workers were rescued alive, the fate of the other six was grim, with them being presumed dead on the day of the incident. The following day, two bodies were discovered in a construction vehicle that had submerged in the water.
In response to the tragedy, Governor Wes Moore of Maryland declared a state of emergency, and President Biden pledged that the federal government would cover the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge, which remains in the river along with the cargo ship that had 22 individuals on board – fortunately, none injured.
Baltimore stands as the ninth-busiest port in the nation, having managed a record of 11.7 million tons of cargo last year. Over 50 shipping and cruise ship companies conduct operations with the port, predominantly transporting cars, coal, wood, steel, aluminum, home appliances, furniture, sugar, and liquefied natural gas.
"This impacts not only Maryland," stated Governor Wes Moore, "but also everyone purchasing cars or farm equipment, as we are the largest port in the country handling these goods."
Experts anticipate that shipping companies and automakers will reroute their ships destined for Baltimore to other cities along the East Coast, as reported by the AP.
Following the incident, ships bound for Baltimore were left in limbo, drifting in the North Atlantic as they awaited reassignment to a different port, as reported by Windward Maritime, a maritime data analysis firm.
Pete Buttigieg, the Transportation Secretary, acknowledged the challenges ahead in rebuilding the bridge. "It won't be a simple or inexpensive task. The original structure took significant time and resources to construct," Buttigieg stated. "We must assess the condition of the bridge, including parts that may appear intact to the naked eye but could have underlying infrastructure issues that are not immediately apparent."
