Archives



Business, Freight News, Sea


Port of Baltimore has best quarter for 312 Years

[ June 12, 2018   //   ]

The 312-year-old Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore had its best quarter ever during the first quarter of 2018 as a record amount of general cargo and containers made their way through the state-owned public marine terminals. A total of 2,765,247 tons of general cargo crossed the public piers during the first three months of 2018, eight percent more than the first quarter of 2017, which was 2,560,065 tons. Also, the Port handled 156,991 containers during the first quarter, a 14 percent jump over 2017 which was a record year for containers at the Port of Baltimore.

“The Port of Baltimore has firmly established its reputation as a leading economic engine for Maryland, with its best quarter in over three centuries,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “The Port generates good-paying, family-supporting jobs for tens of thousands of Marylanders, and our administration will continue to work to ensure the lasting success of this vital asset.”

In addition to the record first quarter, the Port’s public marine terminals handled 1,000,571 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) containers for the 12-month period ending April 30, 2018. That is the first time that the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) has exceeded one million TEU’s in any 12-month period.

The new records follow a record year in 2017 for the Port’s public and private marine terminals. The Port of Baltimore handled 38.4 million tons of cargo in 2017, the most since 1979 and the third-highest tonnage in its history. The public marine terminals, managed by the MDOT MPA, handled a record 10.7 million tons of general cargo. It was the second consecutive year the public terminals handled more than 10 million tons of general cargo. Included in the general cargo number was a record 596,972 containers, an 11 percent jump from the previous record set in 2016.

The Port’s combined public and private auto terminals also had a record year in 2017 by handling 807,194 cars and light trucks. It was the first time surpassing the 800,000 car/light truck mark and the seventh consecutive year that Maryland had handled more cars and light trucks than any other U.S. port.

Among the nation’s ports, the Port of Baltimore ranks first for autos and light trucks, roll on/roll off heavy farm and construction machinery, and imported sugar. The Port ranks second in exported coal. Overall, the Port ranks ninth among all ports for the total dollar value of cargo and 12th in foreign cargo tonnage.

Business at the Port of Baltimore generates about 13,650 direct jobs, while about 127,600 jobs in Maryland are linked to Port activities. The Port is responsible for nearly $3 billion in personal wages and salary and more than $300 million in state and local tax revenues.

Tags: