A catastrophic event unfolded in the Port of Baltimore on Tuesday, the 26th, when the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a crucial artery of the city, crumbled into the water at approximately 1:30 am.
The incident involved a Singapore-flagged vessel named the Dali, which operates cargo services between Baltimore and the Far East, and it collided with the bridge.
The aftermath of this incident has disrupted supply chains and sent shockwaves through Baltimore’s cruise schedule, causing a ripple effect on the city’s tourism industry.
In a recent statement shared on social media, the Port of Baltimore informed us that vessel traffic going in and out of the port has been paused until further notice.
Carnival Cruise Line has been left with no choice but to move its Baltimore operations to Norfolk, Virginia, due to Baltimore Harbour being closed to marine traffic. This has caused the company up to $10 million in monetary loss.
Carnival Legend was scheduled to return to Baltimore on March 31, but guests were diverted to Norfolk instead and offered a complimentary bus service back to Baltimore from the port.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement, “Our thoughts remain with the impacted families and first responders in Baltimore.” “We appreciate the pledge made by President Biden today to dedicate all available resources to reopen Baltimore Harbor to marine traffic as soon as possible. As those plans are finalized, we will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk.”
