Baltimore bridge collapse a 'national economic catastrophe,' says Maryland governor

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The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge lies on top of the container ship Dali in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 29, 2024. The collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday is likely to send shock waves across the U.S. economy, as a key shipping route for certain goods remains snarled for the foreseeable future, officials said Sunday. "This is not [just] a Baltimore catastrophe, not a Maryland catastrophe. This is a national economic catastrophe as well," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." The channel that's now blocked by the wreckage is a primary access point for the Port of Baltimore, which Moore described as among the "busiest [and] most active" in the nation. "This is going to impact the farmer in Kentucky. This is going to impact the auto dealer in Ohio. This is going to impact the restaurant owner in Tennessee," he said. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg echoed that sentiment. "It's important not just to the people and the workers of Baltimore, but to our national supply chains to get that port back up and running as quickly as possible," Buttigieg said on CBS' "Face the Nation." The bridge collapsed Tuesday after a large cargo ship crashed into it, following a mayday call shortly before the collision. Two construction workers died; four are missing and presumed dead. An operation to remove the ship, clear out debris and reopen the channel began Saturday, officials said. "Parts of the non-federal channel are already being worked on and there is a 1,000-ton-capacity lift crane on a barge being put into place now," Buttigieg said. There's another 600-ton crane on the way, he added. There isn't yet a timeline for that salvage work to be completed, Buttigieg said. The time frame for the bridge to be rebuilt is also unclear, he said. Federal and local officials reiterated that the operation would be lengthy and complex. "We have a ship that is nearly the size of the Eiffel Tower that is now stuck within the channel that has the Key Bridge sitting on top of it," Gov. Moore said. "And so this is going to be a long road ... But movement is happening."