Railroad CSX’s new freight routes begin Tuesday amid Baltimore Port closure | Wilnesh News

CSX will launch a new dedicated freight rail service for its customers between Baltimore and New York on Tuesday to help ease trade disruptions caused by the collision of the freighter Dali with the Francis Scott Key Bridge that shut down the Port of Baltimore. Crash on March 26th.

Rail freight bound for Baltimore will be rerouted to the Port of New York and New Jersey and use the new CSX service, the freight railroad told CNBC. Export cargo bound for the Port of Baltimore will also use the new service to reach the Port of New York. A CSX spokesman said freight volumes on the new line have not yet been disclosed. CSX We are currently in a profit-making quiet period.

The railroad explained in an email to CNBC that strategic partnerships with steamship lines allow it to leverage its established international sales network to move cargo between New York and Baltimore.

A CSX spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC that the new service “will help manage the flow of traffic that normally passes through the Port of Baltimore,” though she emphasized that conditions at the port are fluid. “While the timetable for the Port of Baltimore to resume cargo operations remains uncertain, we are maintaining ongoing communication with our customers to provide timely updates on the status of their shipments. CSX is fully committed to meeting our customers’ transportation needs during this challenging time.”

MSC, the world’s largest ocean carrier, told shipping customers last week that “services to and from Baltimore are currently impossible and will not resume for weeks if not months.”

Several major ocean carriers have told their shipping customers that individual customers will be responsible for arranging transportation once the cargo arrives at the transshipment port.

In addition to the Baltimore freight rail service currently diverting ships to the Port of New York/New Jersey, excluding the Daly, there are 10 ships stranded in the Port of Baltimore, including three bulk carriers, one vehicle carrier, and three logistics Navy ships , two general cargo ships and a petrochemical tanker – which may ultimately require alternative freight options, including rail.

“The system is adjusting now and indicating that it will continue for some time,” said Aaron Roth, a retired Coast Guard captain and Chertoff Group chief. “The severity of the incident is still being assessed.”