Page 25 - Port of Baltimore - Issue 2 2024

Photography By Bill McAllen
The Port of Baltimore’s state-owned public marine terminals, managed by the Maryland Port Administration (MPA), and its private terminals handled a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo, worth $80 billion, in 2023. The Port’s new record illustrates the rebound from pandemic impacts and worldwide supply chain issues facing the international maritime shipping industry.
“The Port of Baltimore is the best port in the nation and one of the largest economic generators in Maryland,” said Gov. Wes Moore. “Together, we aren’t just breaking records — we are creating jobs, growing our economy, and building new pathways to opportunity. We must continue our work to make Maryland more competitive by investing in our greatest assets, including our world-class Port.”
Maryland’s Port of Baltimore generates about 20,000 direct jobs, with nearly 273,000 jobs linked to Port activities. It ranks first among the nation’s ports for volume of autos and light trucks, roll-on/roll-off heavy farm and construction machinery, imported sugar and imported gypsum; ninth among major U.S. ports for foreign cargo handled; and ninth for total foreign cargo value.
“Simply put, there is no port in this country that operates as one team better than the Port of Baltimore,” said MPA Executive Director Jonathan Daniels. “From our hardworking International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) workforce to our dedicated truckers, private marine terminals, terminal operators, freight forwarders, pilots, tugs and more, Baltimore is building something great and we’re just getting started.”
NEW PORT OF BALTIMORE RECORDS SET IN 2023 INCLUDE:
52.3MILLIONTONSofforeign cargo (previous record was 44.2 million tons in 2019)
$80.8BILLIONinforeigncargo value (previous record was $74.3 billion in 2022)
1.3 MILLION TONS of roll-on/roll-off farm and construction machinery (previous record was 1.0 million tons in 2012)
1.1 MILLION Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) containers (previous record was 1.0 million in 2019)
11.7MILLIONTONSofgeneral cargo tons (previous record was 11.3 million tons in 2022)
847,158 CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS, more cars and light trucks than any other U.S. port for 13 consecutive years
“The Port of Baltimore is a
key component in Maryland’s transportation network,”
said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “Our strong highway and rail infrastructure network, coupled with the Port’s great labor force and strong regional supply chain, allows us to move goods efficiently and get them to consumers quickly.”
Ports America Chesapeake, which operates Seagirt Marine Terminal under a public-private partnership agreement with the MPA, also celebrated the Port’s successful 2023.
“We began the year with a record-breaking performance at Seagirt Marine Terminal. The terminal recorded its highest number of
total truck transactions (81,428),
Record Numbers for Foreign Cargo, Ro/Ro