Port of Hueneme not impacted by Baltimore bridge collapse
The March 26 deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has thus far not affected the Port of Hueneme, according to port officials.
“We’re not anticipating it to impact operations at our port,” COO Christina Birdsey told the Business Times March 29.
The bridge collapsed after being struck by a container ship, sending bridge workers and a pickup truck into a river below. The river leads to the Port of Baltimore.
Vessels carrying automobiles and other high-end heavy cargo come from the around the globe, Birdsey said.
They typically may drop off some cars at multiple East Coast ports – but primarily the Port of Baltimore – before delivering the remaining vehicles to the Port of Hueneme, she said.
But now that the Port of Baltimore is out of commission due to the bridge collapse, the vessels will divert to other East Coast ports to drop off some cargo prior to coming to the Port of Hueneme, Birdsey said.
The bodies of two men in the pickup truck have been recovered. Four bridge workers who plummeted into the river remain missing and are presumed dead.
“The Port of Hueneme stands with and lends our support to the Port of Baltimore and the surrounding community,” the Port of Hueneme said in a statement.
