Baltimore Bridge Disaster Reveals Influence and Dangers of Globalism

The events of March 26, 2024, in Baltimore Harbor were dramatic.  The Singaporean Flag Merchant Vessel Dali ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge less than an hour after casting off from the pier at 12:45am.

The emergency response was executed within seconds after the Harbor Pilots on the bridge of the Dali declared a mayday and possible impact with the bridge.  Traffic was stopped on each end, but a work crew on the spans did not have enough time to depart the bridge before it collapsed and appear to have been killed.

Bridge strikes have occurred before, but a 100,000-ton, large container ship totally downing a large bridge is unprecedented.  Seven bridge allisions have occurred in America killing over 100, with the Baltimore disaster appearing to be the largest bridge to be downed.

The amount of internet connectivity of modern merchant vessels is significant.  With the current Chinese Cyber Attack of Volt Typhoon still in progress and animated public statements by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray and Department of Homeland Security Director Jen Easterly, it is logical that review of the forensics for any cyber fingerprints should be conducted.

However, legacy media has ferociously lashed out with the “conspiracy theory” label to silence any speculation – much like they did with the Wuhan lab leak.  The Globalists are back in form, rested and relaxed and ready for 2024.

Wray and Easterly give stark warnings, a new Biden Executive Order addresses Chinese spy cranes, NDAA Section 1088 directs an exercise to understand Chinese Cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure like ports – but do not assert Cyber as being a possible issue with the Dali?

The same suspects who threw a wet towel on Wuhan, on Russia Gate, on Bio Labs, and other topics and never bothered to apologize have locked arms on Baltimore.

It’s confusing to try to reconcile Wray and Easterly shouting about Chinese Cyber-attacks and malign activities over the last 90 days, but suddenly cyber has nothing to do with Baltimore.

I’m not saying cyber was the cause or an issue, but it will take weeks and months to pursue the cyber forensics on these matters to establish fact and truth, so the dismissive tone and tenor only encourages “conspiracy theories”.

We’ve seen the greater the shrillness, the more likely facts are not being pursued, but instead, an unquestionable narrative is being poured in concrete.

The announcement of a new port security initiative by the Biden Administration was welcome and needed – but did not come out of thin air.  The announcement was replete with cyber vulnerabilities in the Port and Maritime environment and as a reminder, ships and their onboard information technology can be accessed through means such as ship to shore radios.

Wray and Easterly described the rapid and rising crescendo of Chinese led cyber events, likely informed by months of forensics on Volt Typhoon.  The Biden initiative and alarming comments very possibly came substantively from Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act Section 1088, a National Tabletop Exercise to understand how China would hit American domestic critical infrastructure in case of conflict over Taiwan.

Jen Easterly said, “This is truly an everything, everywhere, all at once scenario” on January 31, 2024, yet suggesting cyber had something to do with Baltimore is lambasted.

Force Majeure shows what happens when a country has no merchant fleet

“Force Majeure” has been invoked and carriers are rapidly landing their cargo at the closest port.  The term “Force Majeure” is a legal and contractual term that essentially allows a carrier to discharge cargo at alternate locations and the shipper (the one paying for the goods to be transported) has to bear the cost of the re-arrangements.

Shipping companies are doing this en masse, and this brings up a significant issue.  Despite being the largest economy in the world, the United States effectively has a tiny number of U.S. Flag merchant vessels.

Which means there is little ability of the U.S. Government to handle such issues in a more effective way than international carriers dumping cargo at will.  Why and how did this disappearance of U.S. Flag ships happen?  It’s a complex story – but the major causal factor has been globalism and the acceptance of dependence on other countries for merchant vessels.

It was not until the Wuhan Virus that the realization was made that almost all pharmaceuticals were made outside the United States.  A similar thing happened with merchant shipping, dependence on other nations for merchant vessels was acceptable until a crisis occurred.  We may not be at a full crisis right now – but Baltimore is a significant speed bump and disruption to the supply chain.

Buttigieg can’t count his ships

Secretary Buttigieg has been focused on racism, woke-ism, and other bogeyman, but has not shown a great interest in his statute duties.  Buttigieg may not realize this, but the Department of Transportation has a sizable “Navy”.

It’s called the National Defense Reserve Fleet and the Ready Reserve Fleet.  These are ships held in reserve, ready to support the emergency sealift requirements of the United States.  The horrific accident was dwelled upon for several days, until there was recognition of a problem.

The problem was that possibly four of the 42 transport RRF ships were stuck in Baltimore Harbor.  That’s almost 10% of the reserve fleet.  Some may have visions of large ghost fleets around the country – those disappeared decades ago and 42 is all we have for emergency sealift.

Globalism drove down the numbers – why have a large reserve fleet when the U.S. can reach out and contract ships of other nations.  Other countries may not be willing to help when needed.  Globalism is stifling the conversation about Baltimore – it is still exerting influence after being exposed for what it is – a surrender of American sovereignty.