Page 21 - Port of Baltimore - Issue 1 - 2023

Preparing the Terminal
At the terminal, receipt of an incoming vessel’s manifest sets off a flurry of activity.
“We start preparing the yard for the landing of the cargo,” said Schmidt. “Let’s say there’s 1,000 units to be
discharged. We’d need to have space in the yard to support the discharge. Based on the manifest, our clerk has already planned the discharge locations, so we know where the cargo is going and how many cranes to put to work. Allocating the proper labor for the job happens before the ship arrives.”
That work is performed by ILA Local 953, also known as the “Checkers Local.” “We do all the clerical work
for receipt and delivery of cargo,” said Krueger. “We do all the checking for loading and unloading vessels and we draw up the plans for the stowage of the cargo. We have pre-check clerks, billing clerks and customer service clerks who work in coordination
with the truck drivers for loading and unloading containers onto chassis.
We also create appointments for truck drivers coming to the terminal and review information from U.S. Customs to see if they’ve cleared the cargo to be delivered.”
From top: ILA Local 953 members Bryan Lindung (shipping line clerk); Andria Wisniewski (container pre- check); Jared Caldwell (customer service clerk); and Alicia Heckman (location clerk).
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Local ILA
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