How will the Baltimore bridge collapse affect prices and the West Coast?

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore this week could have far-reaching implications all the way across the country for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to several experts. Longer term, ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach could see more activity, especially with drought conditions reducing the capacity of the Panama Canal, Anderson said. “These folks are adding time to their orders so they have to find new routes and we wanna make sure we’re prepared to service this additional volume.” The closure of the Baltimore port could also lead to a “nominal” uptick in costs for the products that typically arrive there, such as cars and light trucks, Anderson said. “It’s not gonna be anything like COVID but it might be a few hundred dollars more per container, which is about a 10% to 15% increased cost in freight.” The disruption could also mean that shippers might rethink their import strategies for the next six months to a year, especially because it could take several months to more than a year to get the Port of Baltimore back into commission, according to Alex Cherin, former Port of Long Beach managing director for trade. “Depending on fuel prices, if it’s coming from Europe through the Suez Canal, they might save more if other East Coast ports can accommodate cargo, or the rail rates from the West Coast could be a better bargain,” he said.