USA: Baltimore bridge collapse disrupts coal shipments

Coal exports from the port of Baltimore in the US faced a setback following a bridge collapse caused by a collision with a cargo ship on 26 March 2024, disrupting coal operations.

Rail company CSX alerted coal customers to potential shipment delays while the US Coast Guard conducted search and rescue efforts. CSX, which owns the Curtis Bay coal pier near the collapse site, intended to maintain pier operations while assessing the incident's circumstances.

CONSOL Energy, operating a marine export terminal at Baltimore port, confirmed delays in vessel access. According to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, Baltimore ranked second in US coal exports during the first nine months of 2023, exporting 18.41 million tonnes (mnt), up from 12.97 mnt in 2022. Of these, 12.06 mnt were thermal coal, and 6.35 were metallurgical coal.

The bridge collapse is expected to halt coal exports for up to six weeks, disrupting transportation of about 2.5 mnt. This poses a threat to global energy supply chains recovering from Covid-related slowdowns. Though global price impacted coal from the US, with last fiscal year's forecast to be minimal, India, a major thermal coal recipient from Baltimore for electricity generation, could face significant disruptions. India imports around 6% of it imports reaching nearly 14 mnt, split between thermal and metallurgical coal.