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The Port of Baltimore
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July/August 201 2
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BY MERRI LL WI T T Y
Photography by Kathy Bergren Smith
up the task of handling and caring for a
weekly roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) service to
Puerto Rico. From there, he refined his skills
while occupying many different positions.
“I have held just about any job you can
think of within the company,” Curran noted.
During his time at Dundalk, he took on the
tasks of stevedore and manager. He was
then moved to South Locust Point, where
he was named Superintendent, Marine
Manager and Terminal Manager, giving
him even wider exposure to customers,
colleagues, shippers, brokers and forwarders
inside and outside of Baltimore.
Next came the post of Assistant
Vice President of Operations for ITO in
Baltimore. In this position, Curran oversaw
day-to-day operations at ITO terminals.
Mike Curran
An Eye on Details at Ports America Terminals
This familiarized him with the collective
agreements for all of the Baltimore
International Longshoremen’s Association
(ILA) Locals.
There is no routine in Curran’s days —
he is constantly running between meetings,
terminals and committee events. “No two
days are alike — that is what makes the
job interesting,” he said. He is especially
involved with the STA-ILA Pension, Benefit
and Severances and Annuity, Vacation and
Holiday Fund, Container Royalty Fund, and
STA Board of Directors. He also represents
the Ports America/MTCE on all committees
with each ILA Local regarding grievances.
“I’m fighting fires all day long, always trying
to sort out which are the most important
ones,” he explained.
“MIke’s a true professional and a real
credit to Ports America,” said Maryland
Port Administration (MPA) Executive
Director James J. White. “He’s a veteran
of the waterfront and someone who gets
the job done and knows how to solve
problems. We’re glad to have him at the
Port of Baltimore.”
Because of Ports America Chesapeake’s
public-private partnership with the MPA,
major enhancements have been taking
Watching the progress “has been
very exciting for us,” Curran said, adding
that safety at Seagirt is of particular
importance to him. He cites the company’s
“no-harm policy,” which affords absolutely
no tolerance for unsafe conditions or
behaviors at terminals. Curran explained
that Ports America’s stance is that all
accidents and injuries are preventable,
no environmental damage is acceptable
and nothing is more valuable than the
health and safety of employees. “Our
innovative SAFE PORTS program [Safe
Actions for Everyone — Practice, Observe,
Remember, Think Safety] reinforces our
safety priorities,” Curran added.
Curran and his wife Donna live in
Harford County. They have raised two now-
college age children.
D
uring a 34-year career on the
waterfront, Mike Curran has
made the most of each oppor-
tunity to gain experience and
take on more responsibility.
After getting his start through a
relative (Curran is a fourth-generation
waterfront worker), he became a trainee
superintendent in 1979 in his home
state of New York. Years later, he got
the opportunity to relocate to the Port
of Baltimore with ITO — International
Terminal Operating Co., the forerunner of
Ports America. Curran said that his only
regret about the move, which took place
in 1986, is that he didn’t make it sooner.
Curran went to work at Dundalk Marine
Terminal as Pier Superintendent. He took
