Tradepoint Atlantic first to receive cargo after Baltimore bridge collapse

Tradepoint Atlantic, a logistics centre in the Port of Baltimore, has received its first vessel since the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the suspension of all traffic in the port.

“Earlier this morning Tradepoint Atlantic accepted the Wolfsburg, a regularly scheduled roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel for Volkswagen. This was the first cargo arriving at the Port of Baltimore since the tragic accident on Tuesday,” the statement from the terminal said on Wednesday, March 27.

The LNG-fuelled 7,000 CEU Wolfsburg, built in 2023, is owned by Bermuda-based ship-owning and chartering company Ship Finance International Limited (SFL). The ship has been chartered out to Volkswagen for a period of 10 years.

The Tradepoint Atlantic stands as the sole facility within the Port of Baltimore situated outside the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which separates the Patapsco River from the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

The ship was handled at Sparrows Point, which is on the seaside of the collapsed bridge, enabling it to remain open for business.

German car manufacturers operate their own terminals in the Port of Baltimore. Volkswagen Group of America launched vehicle processing operations at its newly established terminal managed by Tradepoint Atlantic in 2020. The company has a 20-year lease agreement for the facility.

BMW can also access its terminal, while the Mercedes-Benz’s terminal is blocked by the collapsed bridge.

“Tradepoint Atlantic today announced that its site and global logistics center resumed full operations following efforts to assist search and recovery efforts as a result of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” the company said.

“As noted yesterday, Tradepoint Atlantic remains in constant contact with officials from Baltimore City, Baltimore County and the Moore administration. Additionally, communication with shipping companies has increased and plans to accept additional vessel traffic and related cargo are underway.”

The 3,300-acre multimodal and industrial center is capable of handling various types of cargo and accommodating different modes of transportation.

Tradepoint Atlantic’s marine terminal consists of six deepwater multi-commodity berths and has direct access to rail and interstate highways. It serves as a key ro/ro receiving terminal in the Baltimore area. The facility was redeveloped from the former Sparrows Point steel mill site.

In 2022, Tradepoint Atlantic teamed up with MSC’s Terminal Investment Ltd to develop a new container terminal in Baltimore, set to have the capacity to handle between 1.2 and 1.4M TEU a year.