As most news outlets have covered, shipping containment collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse immediately in the water. It is being discussed how this tragic event will impact the future of the city, ship routes and the families who grieve the loss of loved ones who were on the bridge or shipping containment.
Remembering All The Lives Lost
The bridge collapse due to the collision led to many people missing or presumed dead as there is an ongoing search for all the lives affected. An article from CBS News’ website, details who has been found and those who have tragically lost their lives.
Three men were identified as they were working on the bridge at the time of the collapse. The search for more people had come to a halt last Wednesday as the attention turned towards cleaning the debris and reopening the port. The search is still ongoing as more victims are identified or presumed dead, but the bridge collapse has made it more complex to successfully find people.
It has been reported that the murkiness of the water, creates another barrier to the ongoing search. The Coastal Guard has stated how the cloudy water combined with unprecedented weather makes it too dangerous for divers. It is important for them to protect the lives of the divers and prevent more casualties.
What’s Next for Baltimore?
The process of attempting to remove chunks of the bridge out of the water poses a great challenge to fully reopening a vital port in Maryland. The bridge collapse has the potential to impact the economic state of Baltimore as its current main shipping portal remains blocked.
The city has worked on opening a second channel that allows smaller ships to pass through and plans to open a third channel for larger ships. As of now, the portals remain open for vessels involved in the clean-up process, which some estimate months before it’s done.
The future economic landscape has come into question. How will businesses near the collapse thrive? What impact does the closed port have on transporting goods? NBC News details in their article how small businesses will have to get creative to stay afloat.
Small businesses have begun to apply for loans, and the city will continue to assist these local businesses and those who have been put out of work due to the collapse. In Annapolis, there has been a scheduled hearing for a bill to use the state’s rainy day fund to aid port employees who are currently out of work and not covered under unemployment insurance.
Baltimore is faced with trial and tribulations for the next upcoming months, as they learn to navigate cleaning the debris, upkeep the state of their economy and bring closure to families who have lost someone due to this tragedy.
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