Supply Chain Market Pulse: Looking For A Steady State

The major news story affecting supply chains this month is the impact of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. After three weeks of round-the-clock efforts, the container ship Dali is still several weeks from being able to be moved from the pier, impacting the port's re-opening. The need to carefully remove the containers from the ship adds additional complexity.

The port of Baltimore is the largest hub for autos and other rolling equipment in the U.S., but in terms of overall tonnage, it is only the 12th largest port in the U.S. Pricing impacts have been minimal for containers going to the East Coast with the latest rates down 1% since the incident. CSX started operations for container diversions on April 4th, adding a route from New York to Baltimore to deliver containers. The roll-on/roll-off market for autos and other large equipment is still in flux as shippers re-route shipments to nearby ports of Wilmington and Brunswick.