Page 31 - Port of Baltimore Magazine January/February 2016

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore strives to be one of the most successful maritime destinations in the world.
This means continuous infrastructure improvements and reinvestment to keep
its facilities up-to-date. The Port also has to maintain close relationships with current business partners and attract new companies to the region.
As a result of these enhancements, the Port has enjoyed unprecedented success and continues to be recognized within the industry. For the third straight time, the Port has been named the most productive port in the U.S., according to an independent analysis by the Journal of Commerce.
“This is a direct reflection on our outstanding labor force,” said James J. White, Executive Director of the Maryland Port Administration (MPA). “We have very dedicated and professional men and women. Working together with our partner Ports America Chesapeake, we have made significant infrastructure investments that have placed the Port of Baltimore in a very competitive position to attract some of the largest container ships in the world. However, it is our labor that is the real key to our success.”
Port productivity results are compiled by international shipping lines, not by individual ports or marine terminals. The JOC’s port productivity rankings factor in a ship’s arrival time at a berth, the number of container moves per hour at that berth and a ship’s departure time from that berth. The Seagirt Marine Terminal, the Port’s primary container facility, which operates under a public-private partnership with Ports America Chesapeake, includes 11 cranes. Four of those are Neo-Panamax, which are among the largest cranes in the world.
The Port averaged 71 container moves per hour per berth — a faster rate than all other major American ports. The Port is also one of only four U.S. East
Coast ports currently capable of handling
some of the largest ships in the world. “Congratulations to all stakeholders
at the Port of Baltimore, the Maryland
Port Administration, the ILA, trucking community and Ports America
Chesapeake on receiving the JOC’s
most efficient container port award
for the third consecutive time,” said
Jim Pelliccio, President of Ports
America’s Atlantic Division. “The
Maryland Port Administration and
Ports America remain leaders in the
industry, consistently investing in the
growth and development of the Port of Baltimore. We look forward to continuing our successful partnerships with the MPA and all stakeholders.”