Stuck ships and supply chain inflation

It has been a week since the container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. It’s still stuck there, and the images continue to amaze, in part because the vessel is so huge compared with what’s left of the bridge. How could planners not have realised that operating superships in the harbour’s confined waters posed a risk?

It’s less important now: pre-Dali, Baltimore was only the 17th busiest US port, and there’s apparently enough spare capacity that most of the cargoes that would normally have passed through Baltimore can be diverted to other east coast ports. The Dali is no Ever Given, the ship that blocked the Suez Canal when it ran aground in 2021.

I think it’s fair to say that a great majority of economists were caught flat-footed one way or another by inflation developments over the past three years. Along with many others, I failed to predict the big initial run-up in inflation.

In retrospect, that analysis looks spot on, since pretty much the same thing seems to have happened in the latest inflation cycle.

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Baltimore Bridge collapse: Ships carrying cars and heavy equipment need a new harbourOther ports up and down the East Coast are likely to absorb much of Baltimore’s traffic, avoiding a crisis. But not without some longer shipping times and upheaval.
Source: FinancialReview - 🏆 2. / 90 Read more »

Baltimore bridge collapse search suspended as six workers ‘presumed dead’The search for six workers who fell into freezing waters after a 300-metre cargo ship slammed into and brought down a key bridge in Maryland has been suspended.
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

Why did the Baltimore bridge collapse and what do we know about the ship?The search for six people still missing after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed has been suspended.
Source: SBSNews - 🏆 3. / 89 Read more »

Cargo ship that hit Baltimore bridge was involved in Antwerp collision in 2016The Dali was reportedly detained in Belgium after scraping side of quay and significantly damaging part of hull in good weather
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Baltimore bridge collapse: what we know about the bridge, ship and portState of emergency declared after Singapore-flagged vessel collides with Francis Scott Key Bridge
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Baltimore bridge collapse: State of emergency declared, rescue efforts ongoingThe Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore has collapsed after being struck by a container ship.
Source: SBSNews - 🏆 3. / 89 Read more »