Emergency bill would pay workers during Port of Baltimore crisis

BALTIMORE — More than 24 hours following the Key Bridge collapse, ship arrivals and departures at the Port of Baltimore remain suspended.

The impact is expected to be significant, not only for residents in the Baltimore region who depend on goods and services being delivered, but also port workers who could be missing out on a paycheck.

State Senate President Bill Ferguson, who represents the area, estimates that number to be over 15,000.

Together he and Maryland Delegate Luke Clippinger are drafting emergency legislation to provide "income replacement for workers impacted by this travesty."

Exact details of the bill are unclear.

It's expected to be drafted by week's end, just days before the General Assembly wraps up on April 8.

The legislation to assist workers will draw from the state's rainy day fund.

SEE ALSO: Nearly 140,000 jobs could be impacted by Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

Just last year the Port of Baltimore created around 15,300 direct jobs, with nearly 140,000 jobs overall linked to Port activities.

Those jobs generated nearly $3.3 billion in personal wages and salaries, $2.6 billion in business revenue, and nearly $400 million in state and local tax revenue annually, according to the Maryland Port Administration.

There's concern from state officials some of that cargo moves out of the state for good.

"We have uncertainty about when the channel will open, we don't want to lose business, permanently," said the Senate President.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Tuesday said it was a priority to get the Port back up and running.

Biden also promised the federal government would pay the entire cost of bridge reconstruction.

Maryland Congressman Andy Harris on Wednesday called for the process to be expedited.

“The Francis Scott Key Bridge is one of the heaviest-trafficked bridges in Baltimore, and its tragic collapse will halt the flow of ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore and hurt the local economy," said Harris, a Republican. "As we first concentrate on recovering the victims, it is important that both the State and Federal governments work together to immediately reduce the environmental and regulatory burdens that would hinder the rapid reconstruction of the Key Bridge.”

Overall the Port is the second busiest along the Mid-Atlantic, and first in the nation for vehicles.

“The horrific and unimaginable collapse of one of our state’s most iconic structures, responsible for carrying 30,000 cars a day through our region, has left all of us reeling and mourning," said Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman. "It has also changed the lives forever of six Maryland families who lost loved ones while doing work on behalf of our state."

Carnival Cruise Lines already made the decision to temporarily move operations to Norfolk, Virginia. The state's Port Authority said Tuesday they were preparing to accept more ships previously scheduled to arrive in Baltimore.

Tradepoint Atlantic, a private port located within the Port of Baltimore, but outside of the Key Bridge, said they can take in some terminal traffic as well.

"Tradepoint Atlantic is committed to being an active partner during the recovery, clean up, and rebuilding process,” said Kerry Doyle, Managing Director of Tradepoint Atlantic.

However, some lawmakers are concerned Tradepoint doesn't have the infrastructure to handle the massive shipping vessels that need deep water ports and extremely large cranes to unload.

"They don't have deep port which is the biggest concern. Deep port is what we have that no one else has," said Senator Johnny Ray Salling.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg mentioned Tradepoint at Wednesday's White House press briefing.

He said it was too soon to estimate when the port would reopen, stating a vast majority is located within the area of the fallen bridge.

Buttigieg was also unable to provide a dollar amount for replacing the bridge, but said funding requests would immediately be processed. It's unclear how long it would take to rebuild the bridge, although original construction lasted five-years.