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baltimore bridge collapse: A major accident took place early Tuesday morning in Baltimore city under the American state of Maryland. A big container ship 'Dali' collided with the famous 'Francis Scott Key Bridge' of the city. Due to the collision, vehicles and people fell into the Patapsco River. The ship was heading from Baltimore to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.
These people became victims of an accident
U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said six people were missing at the time of the disaster and were presumed dead. Because there is no hope of finding the workers alive after such a long time in such cold water. Two other people were rescued from the water. It was told that all eight people were construction workers, who were repairing the bridge.
The story of the ship 'Dali' which fell victim to the accident
The name of the cargo ship that hit the bridge is 'Dali'. The 948-foot deli ship is operated by Singapore-based company Synergy Marine Group. According to information, Synergy Group is a charter vessel company. The company operates more than 660 vessels worldwide. The ship was carrying approximately 4700 containers at the time of the accident. There was also an Indian crew of 22 people on board who are safe.
world's third longest bridge
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, it was the second longest bridge in the United States and the third longest in the world. The cost of building Francis Scott Bridge was 110 million dollars i.e. 11 crore rupees. It is a four-lane bridge which is approximately 56 meters above the river. This bridge serves to cross the Patapsco River. It is considered a major traffic and transit hub for access to the US East Coast and the Port of Baltimore.
Ninth busiest port in the United States
The Francis Scott Bridge, which opened to the public in 1977, is decades old. It was named after the famous American author Francis Scott Key. The length of this bridge is 1.6 miles. The port of Baltimore, where this incident occurred, was very important economically. Besides, this port is also very important for the import of sugar and gypsum. It is the ninth busiest port in the United States in terms of volume and value of foreign cargo.
Big threat to American economy
However, following the incident the Port of Baltimore has been closed until further notice. Experts believe that this is a big threat to the American economy. Because it is one of the largest ports in America. Not only this, most of the exports related to the auto industry also come from this port.
Auto companies like BMW and Volkswagen are likely to be affected first. If the port remains closed for a long time, it could lead to a shortage of vehicles for American companies. In such a situation, people may have to wait a long time to buy their favorite car.
A new crisis will arise on employment
According to Governor Wes Moore, the port directly provides 15,300 jobs, while another 140,000 people are involved in port activities in the area. According to the report, the jobs generate income of $3.3 billion (about Rs 2.74 trillion). In such a situation, a new crisis has arisen on their employment due to the closure of the port after the bridge collapse.
import-export port
According to Maryland Governor Wes Moore, $80 billion in trade passed through the Port of Baltimore last year. About 52 million tonnes of goods arrived at this port. It is also a major port for import-export of autos and small trucks. Last year, about eight and a half lakh cars and small trucks were imported and exported from this port. In 2023, $55.2 billion worth of cars and light trucks were imported through the Port of Baltimore. Whereas 4.8 billion dollars were exported.
The impact of the bridge collapse will last for several months.
The effects of the Francis Scott Bridge collapse will disrupt cargo and traffic for several months. The bridge spans the Patapsco River, an important route for large cargo ships reaching the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
Why is this bridge historical?
The Baltimore Bridge is known as the 'Francis Scotts Bridge'. It is named after the 19th century American poet Francis Scott. The bridge was opened to the public in 1977. This bridge connected the other side of the Patapsco River to the Port of Baltimore.
The war between the United States and Great Britain was fought between 18 June 1812 and 17 February 1815. During this period, Baltimore was an important battlefield. On September 13, 1814, the British bombarded Fort McHenry continuously for 25 hours. The fort protected Baltimore Harbor. British troops were planning a ground attack after the bombing. However, even after 25 hours the bombing was not completely successful, so they had to postpone the ground attack. According to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA), Francis Scott witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry at the site of the bridge in 1814. After this bombing he wrote the American national anthem 'Star Spangled Banner'.
Why was this bridge special?
This bridge also connects New York and Washington. With its help one can reach from New York to Washington and from Washington to New York without entering the city of Baltimore. Furthermore, it was one of three routes crossing the port. On an average 31 thousand vehicles pass through here every day. More than 40 ships are still docked there after the closure of the Port of Baltimore. Apart from this, at least 30 ships were yet to arrive at this port. Francis Scott's bridge was 8,636 feet (2,632 m) long. 1.13 crore vehicles used to pass through here annually. When it was built it cost $60 million.