Port blocked by Baltimore bridge collapse is key hub for U.S. shipping

BALTIMORE — Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, named after the poet who penned the lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, used to carry an average of around 31,000 vehicles a day across one of the busiest harbors in the United States.

Its nighttime collapse, within seconds of being struck by a container ship, is likely to cause substantial economic damage for as long as it continues to block shipping in the Port of Baltimore.

The bridge's dramatic destruction shut the port for all maritime traffic, which last year accounted for more than 52 million tons of foreign cargo.