Page 26 - Port of Baltimore Magazine January/February 2016

[24] The Port of Baltimore ■ January/February 2017
REPORT 2016
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FOREST PRODUCTS – PAPER
2016: 519,744 Tons 2015: 398,618 Tons PERCENT CHANGE: +30.39%
Forest Products
At the Port of Baltimore, forest products generally mean two things — finished rolled paper and wood pulp. In 2016, one saw an impressive increase while the other had a decline.
Due in large part to packaging material, finished rolled paper had a remarkable 30 percent gain over 2015. Imports were a major reason. Port customer Metsa Board of Finland opened a new paper mill in Sweden in 2016, which brought additional volume to Baltimore. With an increase in online shopping, there is a greater demand for packaging material. Metsa will also supply packaging for the food-service industry, which uses Metsa’s folding box board.
The Port’s other key forest product commodity, wood pulp, saw a decline in 2016. This occurred primarily because of the usage of different shipping methods. Some pulp volume was shipped in contain- ers because of favorable container shipping rates.
In August 2016, one of the top international forest
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FOREST PRODUCTS – PULP
2016: 229,545 Tons 2015: 266,623 Tons PERCENT CHANGE: -13.91%
product manufacturers, UPM of Finland, agreed to
a 10-year contract extension to continue serving the Port of Baltimore. UPM has been a key reason for the success Baltimore has had in forest products.
As a longtime national leader in forest products, Baltimore offers its customers outstanding facilities, including state-of-the-art warehouses. If you add operational efficiencies, deep water, a proximity to large consumer groups and a reputation for damage- free handling, Baltimore continues to be a very strong player in this market.
BILL MCALLEN
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