2013
PORT
report
containers
T
he Port of Baltimore’s container business had another record
year in 2013. More than 6.3 million tons of containerized
products were handled over the public marine terminals,
good for a slight one percent increase from 2012. But 2013
will be remembered at the Port of Baltimore for more than an increase
in container tonnage, it will be remembered as the year the new
50-foot-deep container berth and four super-post-Panamax cranes
became operational.
Thanks to its public-private partnership with Ports America
Chesapeake, the Port took a giant step forward and distanced
itself from most of its competitors. With the new berth and cranes,
Baltimore became one of only two U.S. East Coast ports able to handle
the largest ships in the world today. Supersized ships that can transit
the Suez Canal and, very soon, the expanded Panama Canal can be
accommodated in Baltimore.
Baltimore’s success in containers stems from existing long-term
contracts with two of the world’s largest container shipping
companies, MSC and Evergreen, as well as strong business from ACL
and CSAV. In addition, the Port continued an aggressive ongoing effort
to attract additional volume from key Beneficial Cargo Owners (BCOs),
such as IKEA, Pier 1, Costco, Heineken and REI.
Moving forward, the Port will be watching changes that are impacting the container business worldwide, such as
the new P3 (MSC, Maersk and CMA-CGM) that includes Baltimore, and potential changes in Evergreen’s service
that look promising for Baltimore’s growth. Other alliances are expected to bring new carriers and expanded
service options.
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24
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The Port of Baltimore
■
January/February 2014
2013
6,368,570 Tons
2012
6,297,486 Tons
PERCENT CHANGE
+1%
PREVIOUS RECORD
2012 – 6,297,486 Units
CONTAINERS
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
Change
in Tons
2012
TONS
2013
