CORPORATE PROFITEERING DESTROYED THE BALTIMORE BRIDGE
By Sonali Kolhatkar
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore sent shock waves throughout the United States . The bridge was not built to withstand a direct hit from a container ship as large as the Dali , which brought down the structure within minutes after its engine failed , and it became an uncontrollable force drifting toward the bridge .
The incident is a symbol of how unfettered capitalism has resulted in safety concerns becoming secondary to profits .
The Dali , operated by shipping giant Maersk , was carrying more than 800 tons of corrosive and flammable materials . Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg likened the 95,000-ton ship to an aircraft carrier and the New York Times explained that “ When the bridge was built , cargo ships were not the size they are today .” In fact , such ships have grown steadily in size over the past few decades . One economist told the Times that shipping companies “ did what they thought was most efficient for themselves — make the ships big — and they didn ’ t pay much attention at all to the rest of the world .” This , in turn , has forced nations to expand waterways to accommodate the behemoths , often at the expense of the public .
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