Page 23 - Port of Baltimroe Magazine - Jan Feb 2012

To subscribe or renew, visitwww.marylandports.com January/February 2012 ■ The Port of Baltimore [21]
ROLL-ON/
ROLL-OFF
oll-On/Roll-Off (RO/
RO) at the Port of
Baltimore’s public
marine terminals experienced a
43 percent jump in FY 2011, the
highest increase from FY 2010
among the key commodities.
Strong demand from the economic
recession, growth from developing
countries and a favorable exchange
rate were all contributing factors
for this impressive performance.
FY 2011 was also successful
in Baltimore as it welcomed
its largest RO/RO ship ever:
the 869-foot-long Wallenius
Wilhelmsen Logistics vessel,
Tonsberg, with its 4.87 million
cubic feet of space and deadweight
of more than 74,600 gross tons.
Baltimore’s success in RO/RO
starts with its ideal geographic
location as the closest East
Coast port to the Midwest, where
many key RO/RO customers
are headquartered. Its RO/RO
reputation is further cemented by
the presence of a RO/RO quality
program like that with autos.
Complementing the industry-
leading quality program, the Port of
Baltimore’s annual RO/RO Rodeo is
the only one of its kind in the RO/
RO industry. It provides a unique
hands-on setting to teach newly
hired longshore workers how to
correctly operate massive pieces
of equipment like excavators and
harvesters. ★
R
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
ROLL-ON/ROLL-OFF
FISCAL YEAR 2011
774,416 Tons
FISCAL YEAR 2010
541,115 Tons
PERCENT CHANGE
+43%
Change FY ’10 FY ’11