Economics

The Cost of Closing Baltimore's Port

Quantifying human tragedy and economic loss

Dispatch State Capacity 1 min read Brendan Hart
The Cost of Closing Baltimore's Port

The Baltimore Banner published a detailed infographic highlighting the scope of disruption caused when the container ship brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.

First, some helpful context about the decades-old bridge and the Dali container ship.

The economic shock to Baltimore

The economic shock to the Baltimore region will be devastating and long-lasting. Initial data highlights the scale of disruption.

  • Jobs at port: 15,330
  • Jobs linked to port operations: 139,180
  • Jobs lost since Key Bridge collapse: 8,000
  • Lost wages per day: $2,000,000
  • Value of goods flowing through port (2023): $59 billion
  • Number of terminals still operating: 1 out of 17
Source: The Baltimore Banner
Brendan Hart

About the Author

Brendan Hart

Brendan Hart is an economist, entrepreneur, and executive advisor with two decades of experience building organizations and leading transformation across technology, defense, human capital, and government. USMC. Dartmouth. UVA-Darden.