Basic HTML Version
To subscribe or renew,
March/April 201 2
■
The Port of Baltimore
[
7
]
governor’s
Message
2012 – Off to a Strong Start
I
t has been a sprint full start this year for the Port of
Baltimore. Picking up where we left off at the end of 2011
when international container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd
announced they would begin service to Baltimore, the first
quarter of 2012 has seen successes from our public and private
marine terminals as well as stevedores and labor. I congratulate all
of you who have had roles in the following:
>>
17.6 percent growth in general cargo at our public terminals
during calendar year to date;
>>
Carnival Cruise Lines naming us 2011 Port of the Year for
customer service among ports served by Carnival;
>>
Domino Sugar receiving the largest sugar ship to ever travel
to a port east of the Mississippi River;
>>
The Port of Baltimore being ranked first among all U.S. ports
for: autos, Roll-On/Roll-Off, and imported forest products,
sugar, iron ore and gypsum. Baltimore ranks second overall
for exported coal and imported salt and aluminum.
>>
A fourth straight excellent rating by the U.S. Coast Guard on
a security assessment of our public marine terminals;
>>
The completed construction of the Port’s 50-foot container
berth at Seagirt Marine Terminal that will allow Baltimore
to become one of only two East Coast ports able to receive
some of the largest ships in the world;
>>
The kickoff of the Mid-Atlantic Dray Truck Replacement
Program, which is providing newer and cleaner-running
trucks on our marine terminals.
What is particularly pleasing to me about the above accom-
plishments is the diversity of our success spread among public and
private marine terminals, as well as through cargo, cruise, security
and the environment.
There are a lot of positive things that help us market the Port
of Baltimore — an excellent geographic location, the third largest
U.S. consumer market, industry-renown quality programs and some
of the most efficiently-run marine terminals in the nation with an
extremely productive ILA workforce. But our number one resource
and reason for success is our people. Our personnel, both on the
labor and management sides, understand what it takes to make
our Port among the very best. For that I say thank you for a job well
done and for helping us get a good jump in 2012.
James J. White,
Executive Director
Smart Steps for the Environment
D
uring the 2012 legislative session, my administration
introduced legislation with the goal of creating a cleaner,
greener and more sustainable future for our State. We
were successful in passing legislation that increases our
investment in improving the technology in our wastewater treatment
systems to reduce nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. We also
passed legislation that will limit development that relies on septic
systems and encourages local communities to move septic growth
away from areas where it will contribute to sprawl and pollution.
As detailed in this special “green” issue of themagazine, the Port also
plays an important role in protecting the Chesapeake Bay andMaryland’s
environment. Significant advances have been made toward reducing
the Port’s carbon footprint andmakingMaryland a greener place to live
and work. The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) achieved a major
milestone in 2011 in being certified ISO 14001, an international standard
for environmental management. TheMPA’s environmental management
efforts concentrate on energy efficiency, stormwater controls and air
quality. Thanks to the hard work of theMPA, more than 35,000 pounds of
trash and debris have been prevented fromwashing into our waterways.
Through the Clean Diesel program, the MPA is using diesel
emission reduction technologies to reduce emissions of carbon
dioxide, particulates and nitrogen oxide. So far, these technologies
have been installed on 42 pieces of cargo-handling equipment,
24 dray trucks, 10 locomotives and three harbor craft. The MPA
is also working with other Maryland and federal partners to
reduce nutrient loads and sediment in stormwater runoff at the
public marine terminals and dredged material containment sites.
In this issue you can read about how solar energy has come
to the Port of Baltimore. But solar is not the only improvement in
energy efficiency happening at the Port. Improvements in heating,
cooling, lighting and building insulations are reducing usages of
electricity, steam, oil and water, as well as reducing emissions.
These efforts have not been limited to the public marine
terminals. The Baltimore Port Alliance, a nonprofit group of port
businesses, has engaged private marine terminals and other port
businesses in an active outreach program that is working to address
key environmental issues like stormwater, recycling and emissions.
By continuing to emphasize good, sound environmental
management practices, the Port of Baltimore will be known for
more than its successful cargo and cruise business — it will be
known as a model for managing its port in a sustainable way.
Martin O’Malley,
Governor
executive
View