On Thursday, the National Economic Council convened a meeting of the Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to discuss the reopening of the Port of Baltimore and identify steps the federal government can take to support the full return of cargo and cruise traffic to the Port of Baltimore. This meeting followed the President's meeting with Maryland Governor Wes Moore and leaders of the Unified Command on Tuesday.
The Task Force, launched in 2021 to monitor and address near-term supply chain challenges, consists of supply chain experts across the Administration who bring the full capacity of the federal government to assess potential supply constraints and bottlenecks, engage stakeholders, and prepare response and mitigation efforts. The Task Force met multiple times after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and partial closure of the Port of Baltimore to coordinate the Administration's response to supply chain impacts.
In the immediate aftermath of the bridge's collapse, the Administration worked with businesses large and small that rallied to make clear that they would stick with the Port of Baltimore and its workers through this temporary disruption. This included shippers and ocean carriers that temporarily diverted cargo to alternative ports in order to mitigate impacts of the disruption on American consumers. Now, the Unified Command, the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Transportation, and state and local officials are working to support the full return of cargo and cruise traffic to the Port of Baltimore. Last weekend, two cruise ships docked in Baltimore and the first container ship since the collapse is expected to arrive the first week of June.
As companies honor their commitments to return shipping volumes to the Port of Baltimore, the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force is working proactively to enable a smooth return to full operations. During yesterday's meeting, agencies shared plans to engage shippers, businesses, and ocean carriers across all sectors to surface any logistical or operational challenges they are facing as operations ramp back up. Department of Agriculture officials discussed ongoing coordination with food and agricultural producers as shipping schedules and routes shift back to Baltimore. Department of Transportation officials discussed their close collaboration with port operators, truckers, and local Baltimore officials to ensure that the Port and the surrounding Baltimore area is prepared to absorb increased traffic and shipping activity. Department of Commerce officials discussed their ongoing work to assist retailers and other companies in minimizing supply chain disruptions and resuming use of the port. All agencies committed to engage proactively with stakeholders over the next few weeks to quickly identify and address bottlenecks.
Participating agencies included:
- The White House
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Energy
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Homeland Security
- Department of Labor
- Department of State
- Department of Transportation
- Federal Maritime Commission
