Maersk Plans Alternative Services Due to Baltimore Incident

Maersk Line has announced its readiness to reroute services from eastern Canada to the southern Atlantic Ocean and the US Gulf, following the impossibility of shipping goods into Baltimore due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26.

On April 1, the Danish shipping company expressed gratitude towards port and rail operators along the US and Canada's eastern coast for their cooperation in finding alternative solutions for containers that have to be redirected away from Baltimore.

In a notice to customers, Maersk highlighted that although the port captain of Baltimore has mentioned the preparation of a temporary channel for "commercially essential vessels," its depth of only 11 feet renders it unsuitable for large oceangoing container vessels.

The company emphasized its capability to facilitate shipping through various gateways across eastern Canada and encouraged customers needing to reroute Baltimore-bound cargo to communicate with their Maersk representative. This will help update the carrier's operational plans and systems accordingly. Maersk also urged those with import cargo, initially aimed for Newark or Norfolk and now stranded at the terminal, to collect their containers promptly to aid in managing the surge in container movement.

Furthermore, Maersk clarified that while the Baltimore port is currently unable to handle loaded containers, it can still accept empty ones for return, besides releasing them for exports. The company continues to offer store door service for Baltimore and its vicinity.