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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Sunday his state won’t be the only one to feel the economic impact of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the Port of Baltimore, warning ripples will be felt in numerous industries across the country.
Moore appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and discussed the important role one of the nation’s busiest ports plays in the national economy as officials continue to remove the steel debris from the fallen bridge and the Eiffel Tower-sized vessel blocks shipping lanes.
"It's not just a massive impact on Maryland," the Democrat said. "This is a massive impact on the national economy."
Moore said the Port of Baltimore has a far-reaching impact on states across the country because it handles more cars, heavy trucks and agricultural equipment than any other port in the U.S.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge and the Dali cargo vessel pictured Friday, three days after the vessel struck a support column holding up the bridge. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"This is impacting the farmer in Kentucky," Moore said. "It's impacting the auto dealer in Ohio. It's impacting the restaurants in Louisiana and in Tennessee. This is impacting the entire country."
Economists are predicting Americans will feel an inflation "pinch" in grocery bills, gas prices and other goods as the collapse snarls shipping and maritime traffic at the port.
In an aerial view, the cargo ship Dali is seen after running into and destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The American Trucking Association told FOX Business last week an estimated 4,900 trucks traveled the bridge every day, carrying about $28 billion in goods every year.
The port is the busiest in the U.S. for car shipments, handling more than 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration. It is also the largest U.S. port by volume for handling farm and construction machinery and agricultural products.
While Moore said it was imperative to clear debris and rebuild the bridge, the governor did not provide a timeline when asked, emphasizing that it is a "remarkably complex operation."
The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest ports in the United States. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images, File / Getty Images)
"We know this is going to be a long road to recovery, but we know that we have to move with safety, and we have to move with speed in order to get our commercial engine going again," the governor said.
"I want that investigation to be speedy, and for anyone who needs to be held accountable to be held accountable," Moore said. "And, at the same time, we have got to get this channel opened. We have got to get commerce flowing again. And we have got to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge."