Baltimore’s Coal Exports Roar Back to Life After Bridge Collapse

Coal exports from the Port of Baltimore have made a remarkable recovery following a complete halt in shipments earlier this year due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The Port of Baltimore, ranking as the second-largest coal export hub in the United States, saw an estimated 28.1 million short tons of coal transported through its two coal-loading terminals in 2023, representing about 28% of total U.S. coal exports.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26th after the massive containership M/V Dali lost power and struck a section of the bridge, causing it to collapse across Baltimore’s main shipping channel.

With the channel closed, April saw a dramatic downturn, with only 63,658 short tons of coal exported compared to 2.3 million short tons in April 2023. Despite the main channel’s closure, limited shipments continued as one terminal used barges to transport smaller loads to anchored vessels in the Chesapeake Bay—a creative workaround that maintained some activity during the port’s near-standstill.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau now reveals a significant rebound in coal shipments once the main shipping channel was partially reopened on May 21st with the removal of the Dali. The channel was fully restored to its original operational dimensions—700 feet wide and 50 feet deep—shortly after, on June 10th.

With navigation restored, May’s coal exports rebounded to just under 1 million short tons, with terminals rushing to load vessels after the channel reopened. The strongest surge came in June, with loadings soaring to an unprecedented 2.9 million short tons—the highest level recorded in the Census Bureau’s data series, which dates back to 2000—as terminals worked through a backlog of vessels.

Despite a slight July dip to 2.0 million short tons, exports still surpassed the five-year average. The coal industry increased shipments to offset April and May’s suspended exports, leading to a strong recovery despite July typically being a slower month due to maintenance.

Looking ahead, coal exports from the Port of Baltimore are expected to remain strong for the rest of 2024.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Short-Term Energy Outlook, exports will stay in line with previous years, making up for lost time in the early part of the year.

In 2023, the port set a five-year high with coal exports totaling 28 million short tons. While this year’s final tally remains to be seen, 2024 is anticipated to either match or surpass the 20 million short tons recorded in 2021 and 2022.

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