As authorities clear the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore business owners expect a challenging spring, but many hope the worst will be brief.
Alex Del Sordo bought the Hard Yacht Cafe, a 30-year-old waterfront restaurant with a tiny marina, 10 days before the Dali, a Singaporean cargo ship, hit the bridge on March 26, killing two workers and leaving four assumed dead.
Over the past week, Del Sordo has offered first responders 50% discount at the cafe, hurting his profits. His top priorities are “stabilizing costs for our employment and keeping the lights on,” he stated.
For decades, the Francis Scott Key Bridge crossed Bear Creek, which feeds into the Patapsco River, where the Hard Yacht is. While the cleanup proceeds, port disruptions are hurting businesses in Baltimore's historic Dundalk district. A spokeswoman said truck processing is still underway at the marine terminals, but vessel travel into and out of the Port of Baltimore remains suspended.
Late this month, the Army Corps of Engineers will construct a 35-foot-deep limited access canal near the wreckage for barges and smaller commercial ships. By late May, a deeper 50-foot container ship passage will reopen. Only two waterways less than 15 feet deep allow vessel traffic, which is low.
Some local companies compare the fallout to the early days of the flu, but many say the last few years have prepared them for this type of disaster. The port, which handled a record $80 billion in international cargo last year, is vital to the city and region's economy, from transportation to commercial real estate and eateries.
BTR Logistics, which warehouses and ships cargo through the port, president Michael Clark said the missing shipments will “impact probably 75% of our revenues in the short term.” His facility is now holding foreign cargo from vessels that would normally arrive in Baltimore.
Colin Tarbert, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, an economic development agency, said the port supports 20,000 local employment. According to him, local businesses are most concerned about port operations' full recovery time.
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