Dear Valued Customer, 

Due to the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, we are raising awareness that our services and contracts are affected by this situation.  

Therefore, in conjunction with similar actions taken by ocean carriers, Blue World Line hereby provides this notice, in accordance with the clauses 11 and 12 of its bill of lading, of the necessary re-routing of some vessels currently sailing to and from the Port of Baltimore. 

Cargo currently at the terminals in Baltimore will remain at the port until further notice and imports originally set to call the port of Baltimore have been rerouted to other US East Coast ports.  

JAS Worldwide, as agent for Blue World Line, is taking all necessary steps to preserve its transportation services for our customers and to mitigate the impact of this situation on your shipments. 

Lastly, this disruption will continue to impact our services along the east coast of the United States and drive booking and routing changes on both imports and exports calling the port of Baltimore.  We will continue our best efforts to keep you updated on the status of your shipments and any developments as they happen.  

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this difficult situation, and we will keep you updated on any additional developments. Please check back often at www.jas.com for the latest news. 

For any questions and concerns, please contact your local JAS office.  

Current Situation  

The ongoing Red Sea container shipping crisis, now in its fifteenth week, has not changed much since the last update, and a clear normalcy timeline remains uncertain; as we have witnessed, attacks have continued throughout this past week. Shippers and industry stakeholders should brace for continued disruptions and higher costs and adapt strategies accordingly. The coming weeks will be crucial for interpreting the outcome of the IMO meeting and its potential impact on the situation. 

Industry Insights, Facts & Market Developments

Below are some additional key facts and market developments surrounding the situation, including a timeline of major events.  

• Drewry's WCI Spot Index shows a continuing decline in rates week over week. However, Asia to Europe rates have not decreased as fast as in previous weeks. 
• US CENTCOM continues to report successful engagement and destruction of a variety of drones, missiles, and drone boats, as well as drones on land before they are ever utilized. In the last few days, four more drones have been shot down. 
• Houthis claimed attacks on multiple vessels during the last week; however, vessel operators have refuted these claims from the Houthis and said no container vessels have been attacked directly.  
• Sea-Intelligence is showing a small improvement in schedule reliability and delays, however performance is still poor. The new normal of transiting around the Cape of Good Hope is becoming more stable, and further improvements are expected in the coming months. 
• As per the IMO’s Maritime security update on the Red Sea crisis and international response efforts dated March 29th, the IMO continues down the path of diplomacy to help stabilize the situation. The IMO reports they are actively involved in a long-term capacity building project in the Red Sea and that the EU is funding a 4-year project aimed at enhancing port security and fostering regional dialogue to address the underlying security concerns.  ‍

Our Commitment‍

JAS Worldwide will continue to monitor the situation and keep you duly updated. Our public website update will occur once per week, every Friday.  

For any more detailed and / or shipment specific information, or alternative solutions, please contact your local JAS office. 

After a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, leading to its subsequent collapse, efforts to clear the debris have begun.

As of today, March 29th, the operational situation at the port is as follows: a crane has arrived at the site of the collapse to begin removing debris and clearing the wreckage from the channel, with another expected to arrive tomorrow. Additionally, three heavy lift vessels are routed to the site to assist in debris removal. Opening the port is a priority for workers; however, the timeline for clearing the area between the two pillars that supported the bridge’s main span, necessary for reopening vessel traffic, remains unclear.

While vessel traffic remains suspended, truck processing at marine terminals is still operational. Any new cargo arrivals scheduled for the terminal are being redirected through alternative ports in the region, primarily Norfolk and New York.

The Port of Baltimore reports that the ships unable to leave include three bulk carriers, one car carrier, two general cargo ships, one oil/chemical tanker, and three logistics naval vessels.

One Ocean Carrier has declared Force Majeure, CMA CGM, while the remaining advised they have stopped accepting bookings From, to/via Baltimore, and all cargo in transit will be re-routed. Information regarding active bookings via Baltimore will come from your local JAS offices, and all new bookings will be handled via alternative ports. For more details, please reach out to your JAS local office.  

For further detailed information and /or shipment specific information, or alternative solutions, please contact your local JAS office.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland—the fifth busiest container port on the US East Coast—will cause significant disruptions for US importers and exporters. Due to the hazardous and unstable conditions of the bridge the number of casualties remains indeterminate. However, more important than the obvious business disruptions are the lives affected by this unforeseen tragedy. JAS’s thoughts are with the people, families, and companies impacted as rescue teams work to secure the hazardous and unstable conditions of the bridge.

According to the Maryland Port Administration, “vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore is suspended until further notice.” As such, multiple merchant vessels, bulk carriers, and a vehicle carrier are now stuck in limbo within the Port of Baltimore. Cargo already gated into Baltimore terminals must be shifted to alternative ports, where possible, or await the uncertain reopening of the Port.

The next vessels currently scheduled to call the port are for Thursday, March 28th. This information should be seen as dynamic, with high possibilities to change. Shippers with cargo tied to these vessels will need to make alternate arrangements for cargo handling and discharge. Operational restrictions by carriers may impact cargo owners request for diversion and / or termination. Carriers may equally choose offloads at ‘next port of call’ which may be instituted based on terms and conditions in the governing bill of lading.

Due to the indefinite closure of the Baltimore port, a shift to Norfolk, Philadelphia, and / or New York/New Jersey might be an option. The sudden shift of cargo to neighboring ports, primarily Norfolk and New York/New Jersey, will likely lead to increased volume handling in these ports. While there will be bottleneck effects and delays in cargo processing, historical volume data suggests that Norfolk and New York/New Jersey have sufficient capacity to handle the spill-over from Baltimore.

JAS Teams are available to drive collaboration, swift adaptation, and transparent communication among all stakeholders impacted to minimize disruptions and ensure the smooth flow of goods. Stay tuned for further updates and guidance as the situation develops. For any more detailed and / or shipment specific information, or alternative solutions, please contact your local JAS office.