Japanese automaker Mazda may temporarily redirect car shipments from Baltimore, according to its CEO on CNBC – 04/09/2024 at 6:13 pm

(Automatic translation by Reuters, please see disclaimer

(Updates on increasing Mazda car sales in the first quarter of the US in paragraph 6)

Mazda Motor 7261.T will have to temporarily shift shipments to another port in Baltimore to avoid delays, the automaker’s CEO said in an interview on CNBC.

The Port of Baltimore is the largest in the United States by volume of cars, light trucks, agricultural and construction machinery, and the cargo ship accident on the Francis Scott Bridge last March has a small cargo.

However, Chief Executive Masahiro Moro said Mazda did not expect the closure of the port to have a major impact.

U.S. automakers General Motors GM.N and Ford FN said they would reroute affected shipments.

Most traffic remains suspended, although operations at other stations outside the affected area have resumed.

Earlier this month, Mazda reported a nearly 13% increase in first quarter US sales, to 100,103 units from a year ago.