|
30 March 2024
Following the tragic incident that occurred at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of 26 March 2024, and further to our initial communication on the subject, MSC will be implementing the following contingency plans for cargo onboard the following vessels:
|
|
Should you have any questions, please contact your local MSC representatives in our global network of more than 675 offices.
Customer Notice Regarding Francis Scott Key Bridge Baltimore Situation
27 March 2024
This notice follows our customer advisory from 26 March 2024 pertaining to the tragic allision of the M/S Dali at Baltimore with the Francis Scott Key Bridge causing its collapse.
Passage to and from Baltimore is at this time impossible and will not be reestablished for several weeks if not months.
More specific information will be communicated to each customer in due course but in light of the compelling situation, MSC is bound to modify its vessels routing and booking policies as follows:
US IMPORT CONTAINERS BOUND TO BALTIMORE
1. Containers already on the water will be rerouted and discharged at an alternate port where they will be made available for pick-up upon completion of the usual import documentary procedure. For these shipments, the contract of carriage will be declared terminated at this alternate port and storage, D&Ds and on-carriage costs to the initially intended destination will be for the sole cargo's account. Our local agency will advise you individually with the alternate port in due course.
2. For Containers at origin POL (whether gated in or booked but not yet gated in) please urgently contact your origin booking office immediately to decide whether you wish your cargo to be carried to the alternate ports in the USA. COD fee for these replacement destinations will be exceptionally waived.
IMPORTANT - No container will be loaded without a COD having been first performed and accepted by MSC. For containers without a new destination, the voyage will be declared ended at port of loading and all local idling costs and/or drayage will be for cargo's account.
3. No new import bookings will be accepted to Baltimore until further notice.
FOR US EXPORT CONTAINERS FROM BALTIMORE
4. For those gated in at Baltimore or on the way to Baltimore please urgently contact your origin booking office immediately to decide whether you wish your cargo to be moved to an alternate port of loading in the USA. COD fee for these replacement loading ports will be exceptionally waived but on-carriage to that port will be performed at your costs.
IMPORTANT - For containers without COD to alternative ports of loading, the voyage will be declared ended. 5. No new export bookings will be accepted from Baltimore until further notice.
MSC apologises for the disruption caused by this contingency plan which is required in response to events beyond our control, but which is taken in compliance with the terms of the contract of carriage, notably clause 13 and 19 of the Bills of Lading T&CS, as found under Carrier Terms | MSC.
We thank you for your understanding and patience and we will keep you updated.
Should you have any questions, please contact your local MSC representatives.
Francis Scott Key Bridge: Contingency Plans Far East to Baltimore
27/03/2024
Following the tragic incident that occurred at the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early hours of 26 March 2024, we are planning the following contingency plans for cargo onboard the following vessels:
We thank you for your understanding and patience and will keep you updated with further developments.
Should you have any questions, please contact your local MSC representatives in our global network of more than 675 offices.
Update on Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore Situation and Cargo on "DALI"
26/03/2024
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA is deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred at the Francis Scott Key bridge in the early hours of 26 March 2024. Our most heartfelt thoughts go out to those impacted and their families.
We can confirm that the container vessel "DALI" involved and operated by Maersk, on the Empire service, was carrying MSC customer cargo. We are expecting substantial delays to cargo aboard the vessel and currently standing on the quay in Baltimore.
Further to the Port Authority's closure of the port, we also have no choice but to omit Baltimore from all our services for the foreseeable future, until the passage to port is reopened and declared safe. We expect this to take several months and All MSC customer cargo will be rerouted and discharged at alternative ports in the meantime.
MSC is currently working on a contingency plan and will address each cargo interest directly in the coming days while closely monitoring the situation in Baltimore.
We thank you for your understanding and patience and we will keep you updated.
Should you have any questions, please contact your local MSC representatives.
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co S.A. press release
