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<ul class="summary-list"><li>A looming port strike and the aftereffects of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-home-insurance-prices-premium-effect-from-hurricanes-2024-9">Hurricane Helene</a> could slow the US transport of goods.</li><li>The strike could involve 45,000 dockworkers demanding higher wages and start October 1.</li></ul>The US could be entering a hellish period for moving goods around huge swaths of the country.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-home-insurance-prices-premium-effect-from-hurricanes-2024-9">Hurricane Helene</a> has <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-asheville-f02869c7d01e68f2d7f0553abb82252f">killed nearly 100 people</a> and left devastation across several states, including widespread flood damage that could leave cities like Asheville, North Carolina, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ashevillenc.gov/news/city-of-asheville-prepares-for-tropical-strom-helene-and-shares-preparedness-tips/">without running water</a> for weeks.The flooding, plus debris including fallen trees, has made many roads and highways impassable, or at least tricky to traverse, across the southeast.Now, a looming port strike could also conspire to slow the transport of critical goods and supplies into, out of, and across the US — and, as a result, deal a devastating economic blow.A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dockworker-strike-what-will-be-impacted-prices-inflation-martime-longshoremen-2024-9">strike among dockworkers</a> stretching from the East Coast to the Gulf Coast could start Tuesday. The International Longshoremen's Association said Sunday it was prepared to strike on October 1. The nation's largest union of maritime workers is demanding higher wages, among other conditions.Jon Davis, chief meteorologist at Everstream Analytics, which focuses on supply-chain risk, told Business Insider that the storm and the possible strike would have massive "compounding effects.""It's not one plus one equals two. One plus one equals a lot more than that," he said.JPMorgan analysts have estimated that costs from shutdowns related to the strike could climb to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/27/port-strike-harris-biden-trump-election-00181319">$5 billion a day</a>.It would be the first to span an entire US coast since 1977 and would involve ports that account for about half of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-east-coast-port-strike-looms-tuesday-with-no-talks-scheduled-2024-09-30/">country's ocean shipping</a>. Some 45,000 workers could lay down their metaphorical tools; on top of the catastrophic damage to infrastructure in hard-hit states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, it would undoubtedly slow the movement of critical goods, including food and vehicles.<h2 id="0053eb76-883a-40c9-852c-7ac96df4524a">An inflation driver</h2>Any slowdowns in the US's critical supply chains could also fan inflation at a time when the Federal Reserve has begun to lower its benchmark interest rate to avoid tipping the economy into a recession. Price increases have cooled year over year, though they remain high for certain goods like eggs, which have spiked because of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/27/nx-s1-5126581/egg-prices-bird-flu">bird flu</a>.Amir Mousavian, a professor of supply chain management at the University of New England's College of Business, said the impact of a strike would depend on how long it lasts but that the potential consequences are substantial.He told BI that perishable goods would be affected almost immediately and that grocery-store shortages could trigger panic buying — akin to what unfolded during the pandemic.Shipping costs could also jump as businesses seek alternate means of getting goods to customers, such as importing and exporting goods from the West Coast."The timing of the strike is especially concerning, as the US economy has seen progress in lowering inflation. A prolonged strike could reverse these gains, forcing the Federal Reserve to reconsider its economic strategy and possibly reintroduce more restrictive measures," Mousavian said.<h2 id="8e8f958b-33ca-47d6-a3cd-5f4a1572af77">A supply chain that's not resilient</h2>He said the situation is a reminder of what the pandemic starkly revealed — that the US supply chain is "efficient but not resilient." A walkout would also be a reminder of a need for stronger and more adaptable supply chains to withstand future crises, Mousavian said.Jason Greer, president of Greer Consulting Inc. and a former agent with the National Labor Relations Board, told BI the industrial action is likely to happen and the combination with the hurricane's aftereffects is "going to be devastating overall."He said he expects the union will walk out because there is a feeling among members that their concerns haven't been taken seriously for too long."The longshoremen have said, 'We continue to be pushed aside. We continue to be pushed aside. We're not going to be pushed aside any longer.' So I think the overall economic damage is huge," Greer said, also highlighting impacts like higher grocery prices.Meantime, Angela Blanchard, Houston's chief recovery and resilience officer, pointed out on X that the <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/CajunAngela/status/1840397403658097142">response to and recovery from the</a> hurricane would be "significantly impeded" by a strike. She noted that the disruption at the ports would crimp the availability of materials and fuel — and affect prices."This will be a long and complicated recovery season," Blanchard wrote.

America is facing a nightmare scenario with a looming strike and wrecked infrastructure after Hurricane Helene

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 29 (ANI): The Power Transmission &amp; Distribution (<keyword id="21574285" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PTD" source="keywords">PT&amp;D</keyword>) business of <keyword id="19975888" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Larsen-Toubro" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Larsen &amp; Toubro" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Larsen &amp; Toubro">Larsen &amp; Toubro</keyword> (<keyword id="19963313" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="LT" source="keywords">L&amp;T</keyword>) has secured new orders both domestically and internationally for the construction of substations and <keyword id="21017821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="transmission-lines" source="keywords">transmission lines</keyword>. According to an exchange filing, these projects are integral to the vast, interconnected electricity network, aiming to accelerate the <keyword id="20596535" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clean-energy-transition" source="keywords">clean energy transition</keyword> and ensure a reliable, resilient power supply. In India, L&amp;T's PT&amp;D has been entrusted with two 765kV double circuit transmission line projects. These projects are vital for the evacuation of power from the Jaisalmer/Barmer <keyword id="21873922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Renewable-Energy-Zone" source="keywords">Renewable Energy Zone</keyword> in Rajasthan, channelling it to substations in Madhya Pradesh for further distribution. This initiative is a step towards harnessing and utilising renewable energy resources efficiently within the country. On the international front, Saudi Arabia continues its pursuit of sustainable and efficient power supply by bolstering its 380kV network in the central region. L&amp;T's PT&amp;D has secured orders to construct a 380kV substation and 380kV overhead line segments. These developments are crucial for enhancing the region's <keyword id="21644086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electricity-infrastructure" source="keywords">electricity infrastructure</keyword> and ensuring a stable power supply. In the United Arab Emirates, L&amp;T's PT&amp;D has been awarded contracts to build a 220kV substation and three 132kV substations. These substations will be pivotal in meeting the growing electricity demand in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, supporting the utilities in maintaining a robust and reliable power network. Larsen &amp; Toubro, a USD 27 billion Indian multinational, is a prominent player in EPC projects, hi-tech manufacturing, and services with a global footprint. Renowned for its customer-focused approach and relentless pursuit of top-quality standards, L&amp;T has maintained leadership in its major business domains for over eight decades. The recent orders won by L&amp;T's PT&amp;D fall under the 'Large' category, with values ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 crore.

L&T wins multiple orders worth Rs 2500 to 5000 crore to build grids for clean energy transition

India's government <keyword id="21309215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare-spending" source="keywords">healthcare spending</keyword> appears to be on the rise, but a closer look reveals a concerning trend. While the headline figures might suggest an increase, the reality is a steady decline in health expenditure as a proportion of both the <keyword id="19936553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget" source="keywords">budget</keyword> and GDP over the past five years (2018-19 to 2023-24). This decline is even starker when adjusted for inflation. In real terms, spending has barely kept pace since 2019-20. As a percentage of the total budget, health spending has shrunk from 2.4% in 2018-19 to just 1.9% in 2023-24. Similarly, the share of GDP allocated to health has fallen from 0.30% to 0.28%, as per a report from the Times of India. <h2>Growing expectations ahead of <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword></h2>As the Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> prepares to present the full budget for the current fiscal on July 23, the expectations from the health sector has only been growing. “The Union Budget 2024-25 is a pivotal moment for India's healthcare sector. Building on the ₹64,180 crores allocated in 2023-24 under the Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, we need enhanced tax incentives and financial support for healthcare startups to catalyze innovation. Significant investments in <keyword id="21226679" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-health-infrastructure" source="keywords">digital health infrastructure</keyword>, particularly AI, will improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency,” says Dr Sravani Reddy G, Founder &amp; CEO, Soprav Healthcare Consulting. “Strengthening public-private partnerships will improve healthcare accessibility and quality, leveraging private sector efficiency. Additionally, focused efforts on affordability and access, such as reducing out-of-pocket expenses and improving insurance coverage, are vital for a more equitable healthcare system.” “The healthcare sector in India is on the brink of excellence. There is an increased focus on treating unique patient cases, robotic surgeries, and increasing prominence of AI for accurate diagnosis. To reach the next phase, emphasis must be laid on innovation, research &amp; development, and infrastructure development. These are the foundations for India’s health sector to achieve an international standard of treatment for all,” hopes Joseph Pasangha, Group COO, SPARSH Hospital, Bengaluru. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111730426" title="Pan-India rollout of U-WIN to track routine immunisations likely by Aug end" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>Health tax not helping enough </h2>This situation is further complicated by the introduction of the <keyword id="22446013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-cess" source="keywords">health cess</keyword> in 2018. This tax levy was intended to boost government spending on healthcare, particularly for the underprivileged. However, the collected funds seem to be merely filling the gap created by cuts to regular budgetary allocations for health. In 2022-23, over Rs 18,300 crore of the central government's health spending came from the health cess. Excluding this amount, the actual budgetary allocation for health stands at a concerning Rs 59,840 crore. This is lower than the pre-pandemic level of Rs 66,042 crore allocated in 2019-20, even without adjusting for inflation. <h2>Where's the money going?</h2>The intended purpose of the health cess seems to be falling short. In 2018, health spending accounted for 2.4% of the government's total expenditure. If this ratio had remained constant in 2023-24, the health budget should have been over Rs 1.07 lakh crore. Instead, the revised expenditure, including the health cess, stands at just Rs 83,400 crore. Even the additional allocations for the COVID-19 pandemic (Rs 10,655 crore and Rs 15,955 crore in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively) cannot mask the overall decline. When combined with the regular health budget (excluding health cess), the total spending in these years still falls short of what it would have been if the 2.4% share of 2018-19 had been maintained. <h2>More for alternative medicine</h2>While the share allocated to Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga &amp; Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has seen a significant increase, spending on crucial areas like health research has seen only marginal growth. Additionally, a major portion of research funding goes to the Indian Council of Medical Research, with only a temporary increase during the peak of the pandemic response. The most concerning decrease is in the allocation for health and family welfare, encompassing national programs, the National Health Mission, and health system strengthening. This critical area has seen a substantial decline in its share of both GDP and total budget expenditure, falling from a peak of over 2% in 2017-18 to a mere 1.7% in 2023-24. Excluding the health cess, this figure drops even further to 1.5%. <h2>What this means</h2>This decline in government health spending raises serious concerns about India's commitment to public healthcare, particularly for its most vulnerable populations. Increased investment in health is crucial for a growing nation like India, and a reversal of this downward trend is essential to ensure accessible and quality healthcare for all. The 2024 Interim Health Budget saw a boost in total healthcare expenditure from Rs. 79,221 crore to Rs. 90,171 crore. Experts have opined that The healthcare budget should encompass at least 2.5% of the total budget. But it remains to be seen how the exact picture will turn out to be on July 23. “The 2024-25 budget presents an opportunity to build on past successes while addressing shortcomings, ensuring that India's healthcare system remains resilient, innovative, and patient-centric. This budget can pave the way for a healthier, more equitable future for all," concludes Dr Reddy. (With inputs from TOI) <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111689743" title="Union Budget 2024: A handy FAQ guide to decode the upcoming budget" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Despite pandemic and growing health scares, India’s budget share for healthcare continues to decline

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The US needs to invest $2.6 trillion in infrastructure over the next decade, civil engineers say.</li><li>President Joe Biden has signed three laws aiming to fund infrastructure projects nationwide.</li></ul>The state of US infrastructure is bad. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave it a C-minus <a target="_blank" href="https://infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2021-IRC-Executive-Summary-1.pdf">in 2021</a> and said the US needed about $2.6 trillion in infrastructure investment over a decade.Luckily, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-in-the-infrastructure-bill-amtrak-clean-energy-2021-7">infrastructure investment</a> is one of the few remaining bipartisan priorities. And after years of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-infrastructure-plan-details-bill-2018-2">unfulfilled infrastructure promises</a> in Washington, President Joe Biden has signed three major bills into law — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 — designed to funnel hundreds of billions of dollars into various <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/construction-jobs-housing-skilled-trades-infrastructure-electricians-future-work-opportunities-2023-11">infrastructure projects</a> across the country.Most of the work that's needed is in repairing and maintaining existing infrastructure, experts say. Transportation requires the most resources, but major investments are also needed in water, energy, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bidens-infrastructure-plan-will-electrify-roads-technology-overhaul-2021-3">broadband-internet expansion</a>. Much of our built environment is aging and stressed by population growth and climate impacts."We're pretty assuredly, according to the data, in an era of repair and replacement," Joseph Kane, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who specializes in infrastructure, said. "Yes, there is a need for some new facilities, but by and large, a lot of our infrastructure is worn out."And in some cases, communities actually have too much infrastructure — such as an underused highway or water system."We have built way too much infrastructure, and we really have no plan or capacity to actually take care of all that we have built," Charles Marohn, a land-use planner and the founder of the urbanism nonprofit Strong Towns, said.One way to address this is to build denser communities so that more people use — and pay for — the infrastructure. This would also help address the country's severe housing shortage and affordability crisis."This is an awesome opportunity to go in and build a lot of housing in existing neighborhoods and get it connected to systems that need more users," Marohn said.But simply throwing money at our infrastructure problems isn't going to fix them. We suffer from a multitude of policy and planning challenges, including a need to redesign transportation infrastructure to be greener and more inclusive, build more sustainable and efficient water systems, and prioritize small-scale high-impact projects at the neighborhood level.With hundreds of billions of dollars in new funding, the US has a rare opportunity to invest in critical infrastructure that could reshape the country's transportation, water, energy, and broadband. Kane and Marohn say that rethinking how we design infrastructure will be key to building a healthier, more sustainable future. This means prioritizing projects such as redesigning roads to accommodate pedestrians and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bike-lanes-good-for-business-studies-better-streets-2024-3">bicyclists</a> and expanding <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/high-speed-rail-project-greenlit-vegas-la-brightline-10-billion-2023-3">mass transit</a> over widening highways and building new roads.<div type="image" title="Rail workers look on from atop a bridge before the arrival of U.S. President Joe Biden to speak at the Baltimore and Potomac (B&amp;P) Tunnel North Portal on January 30, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland." height="853" width="1280" msid="108410021" hostid="261"></div><h2>Rethinking how we build and rebuild infrastructure</h2>When we think of infrastructure, we often envision major projects, including constructing bridges and highways, expanding airports, and building out the power grid. Multibillion-dollar projects — such as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-high-speed-rail-projects-acela-brightline-upcoming-future-2023-6">bullet train from Los Angeles to San Francisco</a> or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-inside-grand-central-station-long-island-rail-road-terminal-2023-1">an expansion of the Long Island Rail Road</a> in New York — are often massively delayed and over budget.Many crucial projects that have a disproportionate impact on communities are much smaller in scale. But cities and states are incentivized to focus on major, federally funded projects because that's where the money is. The focus on winning federal funding means many state and local governments' infrastructure priorities are more responsive to what the White House and Congress want than what a local community wants and needs."In practice, it's really hard for the federal government to do a project that's less than half a million dollars, and a lot of the projects that are needed desperately right now are $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000 projects," Marohn said.These include nonvehicle transportation projects such as pedestrian bridges and urban bike paths and neighborhood-level projects like park improvements.Marohn added that resources were also wasted in pursuit of federal cash: "Instead of spending $100,000 on five small neighborhood projects, we hire a grant writer for $100,000 to pursue the big federal project."Marohn pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation's plan to <a target="_blank" href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/interstate-35-expansion-project-impacts-businesses-homeowners">expand an interstate, I-35</a>, that runs through downtown Austin, despite <a target="_blank" href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2023-11-10/hundreds-rally-against-i-35-expansion/">significant opposition from Austinites</a>. Opponents argue the expansion will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kxan.com/traffic/traffic-projects/i-35-expansion-project/how-i-35s-expansion-proposal-could-impact-austin-congestion-displaced-properties/">attract more vehicle traffic</a>, while displacing residents and business owners in its path. The $4.5 billion highway project is set to be buoyed by federal funds.Both Kane and Marohn say that the US doesn't have effective or consistent definitions of success when evaluating projects. In many cases, we use outdated 20th-century metrics of success. For example, road performance is generally judged based on how quickly cars and trucks can move on them, rather than on whether people have options to navigate the roads outside cars, whether that's walking, riding a bicycle, or traversing some other way, Kane said."We haven't developed a consistent set of tools or benchmarks to even gauge the performance, like the physical performance of all these systems, let alone the ROI, or the return on investment, for how this money could support a more equitable, affordable, higher-performing system in the 21st century," Kane said.Even with the unprecedented new funding for climate and green initiatives, federal infrastructure spending on transportation heavily favors cars, trucks, and other wheel transportation. More than half of the infrastructure law's $1.2 trillion in funding has been designated for road improvements and highway expansion projects, <a target="_blank" href="https://t4america.org/2024/02/28/the-iija-is-a-climate-time-bomb-will-states-defuse-it/">a recent analysis</a> by Transportation for America found.The Biden administration has touted its grant program — part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — that funds the removal of underused highways and train tracks that divide often marginalized communities. In one major project, the US Department of Transportation <a target="_blank" href="https://detroitmi.gov/departments/planning-and-development-department/neighborhood-plans/central-design-region/i-375-reconnecting-communities-project">awarded Michigan's DOT and the city of Detroit $100 million</a> to replace a portion of an interstate that runs through a historically Black neighborhood in the city with a pedestrian boulevard. While the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program has "the most potential" to do good, Marohn said, it serves largely as marketing for the administration's vehicle-focused transportation policy.When it comes to water infrastructure, many communities aren't up to speed on greener, nature-based solutions to runoff and sewage — including rain gardens and forest buffers — that can be more cost-effective, resilient, and sustainable than older centralized systems.<h2>Inflation, worker shortages, and other obstacles</h2>Across the country, there are some key practical challenges to implementing infrastructure projects.One obstacle is inflation. Construction companies that build all kinds of infrastructure are dealing with <a target="_blank" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=XVle">price inflation that's much higher</a> than that hitting regular consumer products. It's also taking longer for essential construction materials to be shipped after they're purchased. This means the money allocated by the Biden administration's legislation likely won't go nearly as far as intended.A 2022 Brookings analysis found that if inflation was 2.3% higher than expected each year, "it would effectively <a target="_blank" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-start-of-americas-infrastructure-decade-how-macroeconomic-factors-may-shape-local-strategies/">cause infrastructure industries to lose $137 billion</a> in estimated buying power via federal spending." Cities and states also need a certain amount of their own cash to make these infrastructure investments happen. Federal funding for most projects requires local governments to match between 10% and 51% of the spending.Another big obstacle is the serious <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sustainability-jobs-skills-gap-energy-transition-solar-carbon-emissions-2023-11">shortage of construction workers</a> and other talent. Unemployment in the construction industry is the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/29/the-hard-hat-job-with-highest-level-of-open-positions-ever-recorded.html">second lowest on record</a>, and job openings are at record highs — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-growth-unemployment-rate-march-jobs-report-2023-4">more workers are desperately needed</a>. Associated Builders and Contractors, an industry trade group, estimates that the US will need about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.abc.org/News-Media/News-Releases/abc-2024-construction-workforce-shortage-tops-half-a-million#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20construction%20industry%20unemployment,first%2011%20months%20of%202023.">500,000 new construction workers</a> in 2024 and 2025 to meet the demand for labor. And there's no immediate fix to this problem in sight, despite a slew of efforts across the country to train and retrain workers. Congress has consistently failed to address one key lever: immigration policy.Because infrastructure needs to be actively maintained over time, the costs associated with construction don't end when the project is complete. A city or state needs the funding, materials, and skilled workers to do regular maintenance and avoid the much-higher costs associated with neglect."There's a whole project life cycle that can lead to continued costs and struggles over time," Kane said.<h2>Overcoming barriers</h2>Local governments and employers across the country recognize many of the challenges to building and maintaining major projects.Blue and red states alike are expanding workplace opportunities and apprenticeships for high schoolers and others. The federal government is also supporting these efforts. Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act alone, 72 programs "emphasize or allow some type of workforce development activity," a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-state-and-local-leaders-can-harness-new-infrastructure-funding-to-build-a-stronger-more-inclusive-workforce/#chapter5">Brookings report</a> found.Montana, which has seen a surge of new residents and demand for housing in recent years, has passed a tax credit for employers who send their employees to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/culinary-mechanics-construction-trade-program-increase-college-enrollment-decreases-study-2023-4">trade school</a>, allows high schoolers to get school credit for working up to 20 hours a week at a job site, and changed the ratio of trained workers to trainees, Gov. Greg Gianforte told Business Insider."We created more apprentices last year in the state of Montana than we did the prior three years combined," he said.If used effectively, the flood of new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/america-build-infrastructure-transportation-housing-regulation-environment-2023-11">federal funding for infrastructure </a>could help connect Americans to each other — both physically and digitally — and train the next generation.

Biden's laws are pouring billions into new infrastructure, and it could be a rare opportunity to make communities safer and more sustainable

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baltimore's largest bridge collapsed after a cargo vessel, the Dali, crashed into it.</li><li>Experts told BI that a mechanical failure aboard the ship could have caused the crash.</li></ul>The destruction of Baltimore's largest bridge early Tuesday morning has raised major questions about how such a disaster could have happened.The National Transportation Safety Board <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/NTSB_Newsroom/status/1772615395846848689">said</a> it has launched an investigation into the incident, in which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-we-know-dali-francis-scott-crash-collapse-maryland-bridge-2024-3">a cargo vessel — the Dali</a> — collided with one of the bridge's support beams, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/francis-scott-key-bridge-baltimore-collapses-after-struck-large-boat-2024-3">bringing it crashing down</a>. It's unclear if there are any fatalities.Much is still to be learned about what happened.Both the FBI and the White House have said that nothing so far indicates nefarious intent or a terror attack. And Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said that "the preliminary investigation points to an accident," <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1772627733559857516">NBC News reported</a>.But what is clear is that one of modern shipping's largest vessels met with a bridge that was never meant to fend off such an impact, experts told Business Insider.Henry Lipian, an expert at Introtech Accident Reconstruction and Forensics, said in a call with BI that while current information is limited, "the first thing that comes to mind to me is some kind of a mechanical failure, where either there's a problem with the steering of the ship or maybe a generator went out."Lipian, who received specialist training in watercraft crash investigation during his time in the US Coast Guard, said this is more likely than "any mismanagement by the pilot or the captain."Port pilots bring specialist knowledge of local waters and channels to guide visiting ships until they are out in open water.The Maryland Association of Pilots was not available for comment on whether one of its pilots was in control of the Dali at the time of the collision.Gov. Moore said in a news conference that the crew on the ship notified authorities they had lost power.Moore told reporters that the ship was moving at a "very rapid speed" and that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baltimore-bridge-collapse-cargo-ship-mayday-call-traffic-2024-3">mayday call stopped a greater disaster from occurring</a>, with cars redirected away from the bridge.He also said the bridge was "fully up to code" and had no structural issues.An unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report seen by <a target="_blank" href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse/?id=108500215#108501855">ABC News</a> said that the ship signaled to authorities that it had "lost propulsion" and was potentially going to crash.A loss of propulsion would have had an effect on the rudder's ability to steer effectively, Lipian told BI. "If the rudder went out, now the ship's going to be at the mercy of the wind and the currents," he said.The size of the vessel, even if it was moving slowly, would have created enormous kinetic energy, he said."There's no brakes on a ship," Lipian added. "You either have to reverse your engines or let it coast, and there's not enough time to drop any anchors."<h2>A modern ship meets an old-school bridge</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1148649/UPDATED-Maerskoperated-containership-hits-Baltimore-bridge-causing-collapse">According to shipping publication Lloyd's List</a>, the Dali is part of a modern generation of massive container ships with extended cargo capacity."The MV Dali had a gross tonnage of 95,000 tons, a length of about a hundred meters," Tim Broyd, a professor at University College London and a former president of the UK's Institution of Civil Engineers, told BI.That wasn't common when the Francis Scott Key Bridge was first designed, he said."Almost certainly when the bridge was designed, there was little to no consideration given to a hundred-thousand-ton ship hitting it," Broyd said.But regardless of its age — construction on the bridge finished in 1977 — there's little chance it would have survived a head-on impact of this kind.Instead of building bridges strong enough to withstand a direct impact from a ship, engineers focus on deflecting a wayward vessel from its path.This is achieved by putting structures in place around the base of the bridge.While it looks like some of these were in place around the piers supporting the structure, they were likely not built to deflect a cargo ship like the Dali, Lorna Wharton, head of public affairs for COWI, an engineering and architecture consultancy, said in an email.In fact, engineers would struggle to design a bridge capable of stopping a ship as large as the Dali, she said.Newer bridges, built with heavier cargo ships in mind, may include larger gaps between the supporting piers, Broyd said. But "commercially, you can't make every bridge able to withstand a direct hit from a hundred thousand-ton vessel," he said."There's a balance between the amount of money you spend and the ability to withstand ever lower probability risks," he added.Others see a much more worrying reality."This disaster reveals how exposed America's critical infrastructure is to sudden and devastating accidents as well as intentional destruction," said Rick Geddes, an infrastructure policy expert and director of the Cornell University Infrastructure Policy Program, in a statement seen by BI."Improved resilience should be on everyone's mind as aging infrastructure is rebuilt," he added. "Enhanced protection against ship-bridge collisions will certainly become more salient."Broyd said that the fact that this collision happened at all points to a failure in the entire system of moving freight from the port down the river, rather than a flaw in the design of the bridge itself.If it was indeed a mechanical failure that caused the Dali to crash, Lipian said, his next question would be to ask who was maintaining any systems that may have broken."Ships are very, very complicated machines," he said. "So in the future, there might be more information that we can glean in the human error part, like why did a mechanical condition fail?"As Mark Richards director of NESTA consulting engineers, put it: "It's the full set of circumstances here, I think, which have led to the demise."

The Baltimore bridge disaster is what happens when 95,000 tons of modern cargo ship meets America's aging infrastructure, experts say

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Insider looked at employment projections for work related to construction and infrastructure.</li><li>Both white-collar and blue-collar jobs are poised to boom, with demand for construction laborers and truck drivers, as well as business services.</li></ul>The US is in dire need of more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-crisis-monetary-incentives-build-affordable-housing-economist-jared-bernstein-2023-10">housing</a> and infrastructure like roads, bridges, and clean energy. With <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-in-the-infrastructure-bill-amtrak-clean-energy-2021-7">money pouring</a> into these areas, jobs will follow over the next decade.Hannah Jones, a Realtor.com economic research analyst, describes the need for more workers to help with the <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/housing-market-mortgage-rates-bubble-shortage-supply-affordability-2023-11?_gl=1*1axggkf*_ga*MTUzMDU0NjkyNS4xNjkxNDM3MjQ5*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTY5ODk2ODU0NC4yMDYuMS4xNjk4OTY4NTUzLjUxLjAuMA..">housing crisis:</a>"We need people to be building homes. I would say just at that macro level, in order to build more homes there will necessarily need to be more labor."President Joe Biden is also behind the need for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-bidens-infrastructure-bill-transform-america-broadband-electric-cars-water-2021-11">more infrastructure construction</a>. His Bipartisan Infrastructure Law means job opportunities, including in infrastructure-repair investments, such as for bridges, and investments in public transportation and electric vehicle charging."Even though other segments of the economy have been softening, construction has still continued to outpace and achieve growth, and a lot of that as of late has really been fueled by the different infrastructure and other legislative acts," Kit Dickinson, vice president business development at ADP, told Insider.An analysis from the <a target="_blank" href="https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/infrastructure/">Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce</a> noted some of the job growth from infrastructure spending may include "traditional blue-collar construction and transportation industries; smart infrastructure such as smart-grid electrical technologies, broadband and 5G internet technologies, and green technology; and white-collar professional and business services, and other downstream industries.""Long-term investments in infrastructure have the potential to revitalize, at least temporarily, the blue-collar economy by creating jobs for welders, electricians, technicians, and truck drivers, among other occupations," the report said.<h2>Construction and infrastructure jobs are growing</h2>Construction laborers are projected to see employment growth of 61,900 from 2022 to 2032. This job, which had a median annual wage of $40,750 in 2022, doesn't typically have a formal educational credential for entry and doesn't need work experience in a related job. It does typically require short-term on-the-job training for competency, according to a table from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm">Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/female-electricians-helping-to-set-climate-goals-help-economy-2023-9">Electricians</a>, which is projected to see an employment increase of 49,200 from 2022 to 2032, commonly have apprenticeship opportunities. This job had a median annual wage of $60,240 in 2022 and typically needs a high school diploma or equivalent for entry.Ed Brady, CEO of the Home Builders Institute, noted to Insider based on survey results of National Association of Home Builders members, carpentry jobs especially needs more workers, based on what single-family builders and remodelers noted in separate surveys about shortages. BLS projection data shows carpenter employment increasing by 8,600 from 2022 to 2032. Carpenter is another trade with apprenticeship opportunities and that typically needs a high school diploma or equivalent for entry.Employment of wind turbine service technicians is projected to see the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/fastest-growing-occupations.htm">largest percent increase</a>, with growth of 44.9% from 11,200 in 2022 to 16,200 in 2032. This job typically requires a postsecondary nondegree award for entry and long-term on-the-job training for competency. However, BLS noted no work experience in a related job is required.This job, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/49-9081.00">O*NET</a>, may include repairing, maintaining, and inspecting equipment. It may also include climbing the towers to do so. Some important skills needed according to O*NET beyond equipment maintenance and repairs include critical thinking and complex problem solving.Another green job that is projected to see a relatively large percent increase in employment is solar photovoltaic installers, an increase of 22.3% from 2022 to 2032. This job typically needs a high school diploma or equivalent for entry, moderate-term on-the-job training for competency but doesn't necessarily need related work experience, per BLS. Beyond installation skills, the job also needs active listening and critical thinking skills per <a target="_blank" href="https://www.onetonline.org/link/details/47-2231.00">O*NET</a>.<h2>These jobs have been struggling to find workers</h2>Despite these employment projections or funding for infrastructure projects, it may be hard to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/infrastructure-workforce/">find or keep workers for these occupations</a>. Dickinson told Insider construction is "a sector that has in some ways a higher barrier to entry in terms of the skills needed to be in construction as a skilled laborer.""Construction is one of those industries that has been plagued for over a decade by the lack of skilled labor or any labor," Nela Richardson, chief economist of ADP, told Insider. "In fact, even before the pandemic, it was really challenging to find construction workers."Brady said while the home-building economy has been pretty resilient during the last few years, there's a gap between supply and demand given things like "the lack of labor, the lack of inventory for new construction, and then the lack of inventory on resales.""The labor gap is so intrinsically connected to affordability and inventory that it's hard to bifurcate," Brady said.While Brady said fixing the skilled labor force problem won't happen overnight, things that can be done include a need to invest in pre-apprenticeship opportunities. Other things that can help are diversifying the workforce and immigration reform, Brady said.One thing that can be done to attract more younger workers into these jobs in the future is for more information in schools and mentorship programs to help reframe people's thoughts on construction, per Dickinson."A lot of people equate construction with — they're the people on the highways that slow you down getting to work with all the orange barrels," Dickinson said. "It's much more than that. It has an amazing career path trajectory."Are you working in one of these jobs projected to see employment growth? Have you made a career change into one of these jobs? Share your experience with this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:mhoff@insider.com">mhoff@insider.com</a>.

From construction workers to electricians, these are the infrastructure jobs set to boom in the next few years

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/advancing-cities"></a><div type="image" title="Honolulu hawaii" height="1413" width="1885" msid="90691243" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11899377" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="honolulu" source="Orion">Honolulu</keyword>, <keyword id="12062287" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="san-antonio" source="Orion">San Antonio</keyword>, <keyword id="12054533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boston" source="Orion">Boston</keyword>, and <keyword id="13256244" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="raleigh-durham" source="Orion">Raleigh-Durham</keyword> have been investing in residents and the planet.</li><li>For example, Honolulu's efforts are focused on public transit, <keyword id="11963839" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="clean-energy" source="Orion">clean energy</keyword>, and waste management.</li><li>Cities like San Antonio and Raleigh have digital inclusion and expanding jobs at the forefront.</li></ul>Last summer, the Honolulu City Council approved the city's first-ever <a href="https://resilientoahu.org/climate-action-plan">Climate Action Plan</a>, a detailed strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% over the next five years and reach carbon neutrality by 2045. The plan had been years in the making and involved community meetings, working groups with stakeholders including local utility companies and other partners, and resident engagement.<div type="image" title="headshot of Matthew Gonser" height="1956" width="2608" msid="90691244" hostid="261"></div>"There was a lot of work already underway, a lot of things that were already city priorities," Matthew Gonser, Honolulu's chief resilience officer, who leads the city's <keyword id="11896309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> efforts, told Insider. "But it's exciting having this formalized and articulated in terms of the direct relationship and connection to both efficiency opportunities, cost-saving opportunities, and then driving down emissions over time."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/honolulu-hawaii-resilience-office-climate-change-sustainable-city-2021-4">Honolulu's</a> Resilience Office, which is in charge of tracking <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>'s impacts on the island of Oahu and ensuring the city and its residents are prepared, is focusing on transportation, building energy use, and waste management — areas that contribute the most greenhouse gas emissions, he said. The office's sustainability plan includes electrifying ground transportation, increasing walking and biking paths and accessibility, expanding energy efficiency and renewable energy, and decreasing solid waste amounts.Honolulu is one of four cities that Insider featured in its "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/advancing-cities">Advancing Cities</a>" series last year. The city isn't alone in making progress in its efforts to become more resilient. Here's a look at how the Hawaiian capital, along with San Antonio, Boston, and Raleigh-Durham, are also driving innovation and looking to the future.<h2>Honolulu, Hawaii, is homing in on water use</h2>In addition to public transit, clean energy, and waste management, water efficiency is another key part of Honolulu's resiliency and sustainability efforts, which Gonser said is more important than ever. The Navy's <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/us/hawaii-navy-water.html">Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility recently leaked petroleum</a> and contaminated the water supply in Oahu. To make sure the island doesn't run out of clean water, the water utility requested that residents reduce their water usage by 10%."This could be an issue for a long time, but it really drives home the point that efficiency across energy and water brings security and savings, and really a respect for the resources," he added. Gonser says the issue has also highlighted the need for better processes to track water and energy use, which is something his office is working on.The resilience office also introduced <a href="https://hnldoc.ehawaii.gov/hnldoc/measure/2121">Bill 22</a> at the city council to establish better benchmarking and reporting requirements for buildings on their water and energy use.<h2>San Antonio, Texas, is committed to digital equity and smart city technology </h2><div type="image" title="The skyline of San Antonio at night" height="801" width="1068" msid="90691247" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="headshot of Candelaria Mendoza" height="1392" width="1857" msid="90691249" hostid="261"></div>Digital inclusion has been a priority for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/san-antonio-texas-office-innovation-smart-tech-infrastructure-divide-2021-5">San Antonio</a>'s Office of Innovation since a city survey in 2019 revealed many residents lacked broadband connectivity, digital literacy, and access to devices. Last year, the city hired Candelaria Mendoza as its digital inclusion administrator to continue the commitment.<a href="https://www.sadigitalconnects.com/">SA Digital Connects</a>, a public-private-community partnership, was established to create a roadmap to expand connectivity in San Antonio and the greater Bexar County and implement the city's Digital Equity Plan. "Digital access is a foundational component that creates a domino effect to education to workforce development to economic development," Mendoza told Insider.San Antonio is also developing a smart city plan in collaboration with residents and the city's research and development team, which will be released by the end of the year."We're having stakeholder conversations to identify key priorities for how we can leverage data, technology, and open innovation to improve public services," smart city administrator <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybroyall/">Emily Royall</a> told Insider.This month, the <a href="https://www.texassmartcities.org/summit2022.html">Texas Smart Cities Summit</a> will bring stakeholders together to discuss topics like infrastructure, cybersecurity, digital services, and public participation. Royall said the city also hosts <a href="https://www.sanantonio.gov/smartsa">SmartSA Sandbox</a>, outdoor, festival-style events, where the public can engage with smart technology. Around 600 people attended the last event in October, Royall added. San Antonio's <a href="https://www.sanantonio.gov/Innovation/R-D-League">R&amp;D League</a>, which uses data and research to discover new ideas and create policies, has been working to secure grants and conducting experiments to help the city plan for the next decade, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-kinnison-b4064012/">Kate Kinnison</a>, R&amp;D administrator, told Insider. The goal is for the R&amp;D League to distribute grants to "lay a foundation for all the transformative work that needs to happen in San Antonio," she said.<h2>Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, is focusing on workforce and economic development </h2><div type="image" title="Raleigh, North Carolina" height="664" width="886" msid="90691251" hostid="261"></div>Over the past year, the city of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-innovation-offices-raleigh-durham-north-carolina-2021-6">Raleigh</a> transitioned its economic development office from the city to a partnership between the city, the <a href="https://www.raleighchamber.org/">Raleigh Chamber of Commerce</a>, and <a href="https://raleigh-wake.org/">Wake County Economic Development</a>.<div type="image" title="headshot of Kyle Touchstone" height="1169" width="1559" msid="90691254" hostid="261"></div>In September, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ktouchstone/">Kyle Touchstone</a> was hired as director of Raleigh Economic Development and has been focused on recruiting companies to the <a href="https://www.rtp.org/">Research Triangle</a> area and ensuring a talented workforce is in place to staff these businesses. Biotech firm <a href="https://www.amgen.com/stories/2022/03/amgen-breaks-ground-on-new-drug-substance-manufacturing-facility-in-north-carolina">Amgen announced plans to build a new plant</a> set to open in 2025 in the area. <a href="https://fujifilmdiosynth.com/about-us/press-releases/fujifilm-selects-north-carolina-as-the-location-to-build-the-largest-cell-culture-biopharmaceutical-cdmo-facility-in-north-america/">Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies</a> is also building a $2 billion facility that will bring 700 jobs, and <a href="https://www.enr.com/articles/51661-apple-to-build-1-billion-east-coast-campus-in-north-carolina">Apple</a> is investing in a $1 billion campus in North Carolina. To ensure that there's enough tech talent to fill these jobs, Touchstone told Insider that local universities are expanding their engineering and computer science programs. "We're a community that was built on innovation," he said. "It's at our core, and we'll continue to see innovation play a major role in our future." In nearby Durham, city officials are planning to open applications for the <a href="https://www.durhamnc.gov/3165/Innovate-Durham">Innovate Durham</a> program, which turns the city into a test lab for new ideas, in mid-April. The program was put on hold in 2020 and pared down in 2021 because of the pandemic."This year, we're trying to make sure that the companies are paired well to find real solutions that could turn into sustainable solutions that continue after the cohort ends," <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-grace-stoneking-mpp-6844b2b0/">Mary Grace Stoneking</a>, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) local government management fellow for the city, told Insider.<div type="image" title="headshot of Andrew Holland" height="271" width="361" msid="90691255" hostid="261"></div>The city is also being intentional about engaging minority- and women-owned businesses and startups, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-holland-aa8a3642/">Andrew Holland</a>, Durham's assistant director for strategy and performance, told Insider. Durham is continuing to embrace data to make citywide decision-making processes more equitable, Stoneking said. Its budget equity tool and scoring matrix rank budget requests from city departments based on equity, including which areas of the city they're focused on and which populations will be affected. This has also involved training other city departments in how to use data and how to collect data around racial equity, she added.Residents are also engaged in capital improvement projects (CIP) to ensure equity. Holland said residents sit on the CIP committee with city staff and help score project requests, and residents receive a stipend for their time.<h2>Boston, Massachusetts, is examining ways to make its energy grids more efficient and adapt to smart technology </h2><div type="image" title="Boston skyline in Massachusetts" height="1256" width="1674" msid="90691256" hostid="261"></div>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-boston-updating-infrastructure-smart-utilities-program-tech-sustainable-2021-9">Boston</a> Smart Utilities Program outfitted Boston's streetlights with smart sensors, WiFi, and cameras to learn more about traffic and pollution. Now, the city is conducting a lighting audit to see where the technology can be expanded.<div type="image" title="headshot of Travis Anderson" height="621" width="828" msid="90691257" hostid="261"></div>As part of deploying smart city technology, the city is examining the long-term maintenance and ownership of the technology and the data it produces, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-anderson-17003b1a6/">Travis Anderson</a>, senior infrastructure and energy planner at the Boston Planning and Development Agency, told Insider."What department will be responsible for it? How is the data collected?" he said. "We want to ensure privacy, of course."Boston is also studying ways to decarbonize district energy microgrids, which are energy systems that provide thermal and electrical energy for buildings onsite. But some of that energy, even though it's efficient, is cogenerated with fossil fuels.Anderson said they're planning to wrap up the study this summer and release a report, which will guide the city's project teams in their district energy analyses and look at new energy technology."Often you think of infrastructure as this static solution, but we're looking at it in a way in which we can adapt it and have it be effectively smart for new technology that emerges down the line," he said.Boston is looking at increasing resiliency overall, too. Working with the city's energy office, Anderson said they need to ensure that energy grids can handle the "smart tech integration across the city."

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The Baltimore bridge disaster is what happens when 95,000 tons of modern cargo ship meets America's aging infrastructure, experts say

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From construction workers to electricians, these are the infrastructure jobs set to boom in the next few years

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