The collapse of a bridge in Baltimore, struck by a massive cargo ship early Tuesday, has led to disruptions in coal exports from the bustling U.S. port, as confirmed by rail and coal companies. CSX, a prominent rail company, warned its coal customers of potential shipment delays following the incident, which prompted ongoing search and rescue operations by the U.S. Coast Guard. CSX’s Curtis Bay coal pier in Baltimore, situated near the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, remains operational as the company assesses the situation and plans for continued operations.
CSX indicated that it has the capacity to dispatch additional trains to coal terminals in Baltimore served by CSX before reaching pile space limits. CONSOL Energy, a coal producer with a marine export terminal in the Port of Baltimore, also reported delays in vessel access to and from its terminal due to the bridge collapse. Baltimore, ranking as the second-largest port for U.S. coal exports during the first nine months of 2023 according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), exported approximately 20.3 million short tons of coal during this period, marking an increase from 14.3 million short tons in the same period of 2022. Of the total exports, steam coal accounted for 13.3 million short tons, while metallurgical coal amounted to 7.0 million short tons.