"Going to move heaven and earth" to rebuild Baltimore bridge, says Biden

President Joe Biden visited the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Friday (local time) and vowed to "move heaven and Earth" to rebuild the structure, The Hill reported.

"Folks, we're going to move heaven and Earth to rebuild this bridge as rapidly as humanly possible," he said.

"We're going to do so with union labor and American steel," the US President affirmed, describing the damage as "devastating."

Biden delivered the remarks as he surveyed the wreckage from last week's bridge collapse in Baltimore, reaffirming his commitment to the people there.

"I'm here to say, your nation has your back. And I mean it. Your nation has your back," Biden said, speaking with the wreckage of the collapsed bridge in the backdrop, according to The Hill.

"The damage is devastating and our hearts are still breaking," Biden said in a reference to six people who died when the bridge collapsed late last month.

The cargo ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Interstate 695 last Tuesday, causing it to collapse into the ocean. The cargo ship was bound for Sri Lanka.

Reopening the Baltimore Port, which is usually one of the busiest in the US and essential to trade along the East Coast, was stated by the president as the top priority of his administration. According to him, authorities anticipate that the entire shipping channel will reopen by the end of May.

Biden, during his visit to the bridge collapse site, took an aerial tour of the wreckage. He also talked about his family ties to Baltimore, and the amount of time he spent driving over the bridge.

He also met the families of the victims who lost their lives.

The White House said Thursday that top administration officials have called major employers in the Baltimore area, including retail chains and distributors, urging them to retain workers in the aftermath of the bridge collapse.

Biden also called on Congress to do its part to address the fallout of the bridge collapse as Baltimore residents face questions about accessing schools, hospitals and offices.

The collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, following a collision with a container ship early on March 26, has brought trade through the Maryland port to a grinding halt, causing significant disruptions to the flow of commodities, particularly coal and cobalt.

Furthermore, the closure is expected to impede US coal exports to key destinations such as India, China, Canada, and the Netherlands, with Baltimore handling a significant portion of these shipments.

Moreover, Baltimore's ports were the third-largest destination for US imports of unwrought primary aluminium in 2023, further exacerbating the impact on the metals trade.

Furthermore, the closure is likely to necessitate the shifting of container traffic to other area ports, including those in New York, New Jersey, and Norfolk, Virginia, adding complexities to shipping operations.