Link To Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68737583
In Baltimore, a cargo ship crashed into a bridge in the middle of the night causing it to collapse and leaving insurmountable damage. The ship was on its usual path before something strange happened which directed it’s path towards the bridge’s support beam. It is suspected the main cause of this is the ship losing power, however there is an investigative team still searching for any other way this could have been caused. Six workers who were working on the bridge at the time are deceased while a search is taking place to find three more people who had missing persons reports placed. The shipping channel is blocked up with around 3,000 to 4,000 tons of debris that is 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep. This blocks one of the busiest ports on the east coast which will have a major impact as 15,000 jobs depend on it. It is a really tricky situation which needs tons of precision as the cutting, shifting, and movement of the debris could result in a dangerous situation, such as hazardous commodities from the vessel leaking into the ocean. Peter Ford, a merchant mariner, describes the situation as a “game of jenga you don’t want to lose”.
This event is really important and could have major consequences. It will not affect U.S. foreign policy as it was not a terrorist attack like 9/11. But it will most likely affect the United States economy. Businesses which rely on materials from cargo ships coming from the port in Baltimore will lose tons of money and business for what could be weeks to months. The port is one of the busiest on the east coast so it is safe to assume there will be a drop in monetary value in this region. There is a chance the cargo ship travels to the closest available port bringing some money back but could put too much pressure on highways and other roads leading to the intended locations. There is also the possibility of hazardous fluid leaking into the ocean in that area and spreading further along the coast. This would hurt wildlife and also affect fishing and any other jobs dependent on the ocean.
One way this article relates to what we have learned in class is geopolitics. Geopolitics is the use of geography as an element of power in relation to a state’s security. This includes the use of the sea for economic ambitions. The port in Baltimore, which is one of the busiest in the country, must be taken care of to maintain the massive economy of the US which in turn will maintain economic dominance/security from other powers around the world.