USA: Bright Future for Port of Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore has announced that it was a record year in 2012 for its public marine terminals, handling more autos and machinery than any other US port.

Key target commodities, autos, containers and ro-ro cargo all saw their best years at the port, despite the global economic recession. The port handled 652,000 cars in 2012, up 18% from 2011, and 1.09m tonnes of ro-ro cargo, up 16% from 2011. The porf s general cargo also reached an all time high with 9.59m tonnes, up 8% from 2011.

The total value of the 2012 cargo was a record US$54bn, which placed Baltimore ninth nationally for dollar value of foreign cargo.

Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland, said: “The Port has successfully withstood a challenging economy and has outperformed many other major US ports thanks to shrewd infrastructure investments, unique job-creating business partnerships, and long term contracts with major international shipping companies.”

He added: “Now with a new tentative national labour contract, a new 50ft deep container berth with four supersized cranes, and healthy overall business growth, the future of the Port of Baltimore has never looked brighter. This is excellent news for the more than 14,000 men and women who depend on the port to support their families.”

The new Super Post-Panamax cranes are the last part of a multi-year expansion project designed to allow the Port of Baltimore to handle the new class of Super Post-Panamax ships able to carry three times more cargo that traditional ships.

In addition to the four $40 million cranes, Ports America Cheapeake has also added a new 50-foot berth and dredged 50 feet down to create room for the new larger ships to approach and dock.

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Press Release, April 9, 2013