Page 44 - Port of Baltimore - May/June 2019

PORT PERSON
Seamless Transition
INGRID LONDOÑO TAKES THE LEAD
AT BALTIMORE MARITIME EXCHANGE BY KATHY BERGREN SMITH
Ingrid Londoño
When Ingrid Londoño came to Baltimore some eight years ago, she had little experience with the world
of international shipping, but it didn’t take her long to become fascinated. She began working for a shipping line and soon found her way to a “watch-stander”
position at the Baltimore Maritime Exchange (BME). It was here that she found her home and has taken the helm as General Manager.
“I fell in love with the history of the Maritime Exchange, and I love being part of the Port community,” said Londoño.
In the 18th century, the watch-stander stood on Federal Hill with a telescope and a set of flags to signal the approach of ships into Baltimore Harbor. Today, the watch-stander monitors arriving ships as they enter the Chesapeake at Cape Henry or Chesapeake
City and follows their progress into
the Port in real time on a computer. The nonprofit BME serves as an information clearinghouse for its members, who include everyone who needs to know when and where a ship is in the Port of Baltimore. The nearly 60 members represent every aspect of the Port community, from the tugboats and the line handlers to the suppliers, government agents and pilots.
The BME works very closely
with the Maryland Department
of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDT MPA) on several fronts to keep operations, such as pier assignments, up to date, and keep stakeholders in the loop. This close working relationship between staff at the MDOT MPA and the BME is beneficial to everyone in the Port community, according to Lodoño.
Londoño came to Baltimore from a job managing a large call center. She appreciated the camaraderie of the small team at the BME as they worked for the larger mission of enhancing
the efficiency of the Port of Baltimore. She, along with her colleague and friend Brittany Mills, worked under the tutelage of David Stambaugh, who spent 40 years with the BME.
“I was very fortunate to have a good team in Ingrid and Brittany, and it made it possible for me to think about
[42] The Port of Baltimore ■ May/June 2019
KATHY BERGREN SMITH