Ports in Philadelphia, South Jersey ready to support Baltimore after bridge collapse
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Port officials in Philadelphia and South Jersey are coordinating with other East Coast ports to receive ships destined for Baltimore following this week's Key Bridge collapse.
"I think yesterday was still focused on recovery, and today those decisions will be made as far as where those ships will be diverted," said Ryan Mulvey, the director of government and public affairs for the Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort).
"We did have a ship yesterday at 5 p.m. that was a Baltimore ship. We do expect a barge destined for Baltimore over the weekend. We did also learn there's an auto ship with about 3,500 vehicles that need to be discharged."
Officials with the South Jersey Port expect a 25% increase in cargo volume.
READ MORE: Key Bridge collapse: How Philadelphia's port compares to Baltimore
"The next week and a half to two weeks we have three additional ships, and we've had dozens of calls," said COO Kevin Duffy.
Customers volunteered to move cargo out of the port to make room for cargo diverted from the bridge collapse site.
The South Jersey Port handles mostly bulk and breakbulk, like steel coils, aerosol cans, food products, plywood and fencing material.
"They expect their cargo every week. So all of the sudden if they don't have a ship, they're going to be in trouble," said Duffy, referring to the disruption to the supply chain.
"Most likely the customers we're going to gain during this crisis are going to go back to where they were when they were done," said Duffy.
COVID-19 gave the port community a crash course in working together to keep the supply chain going. Now the Philadelphia and South Jersey ports are relying on that system once again.
The governors of New Jersey and New York issued this statement :
"The tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has touched every corner of the nation, and we are ready to support Governor Moore and the people of Maryland in any way. We have seen over the past several years that indefinite port closures can impact national and global supply chains, which hurt everyday consumers the hardest. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey can take on additional cargo, and we have directed the Authority to further evaluate all available resources to minimize supply chain disruptions. Along with our federal partners, we will continue to work together to support our neighbors in Baltimore and consumers nationwide."
