Page 30 - Port of Baltimore Magazine May/June 2013
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The Port of Baltimore
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May/June 2013
Looking Forward to 40 Lifts
With a nod to the International Longshoremen’s Association, Highstar
Capital’s Christopher H. Lee remarked during the Seagirt celebration that
Baltimore averages an impressive “37 lifts an hour”
when handling
containers. The comment drew a rousing round of applause from all in
attendance.
Mark Montgomery, CEO of Ports America Chesapeake, later noted that
Seagirt’s supersized cranes are already producing “faster, safer … and at a
higher level” than anything seen before at the Port, and that the terminal
has actually achieved “50 moves, gross, an hour” at times. “It’s been a
significant change,” he said.
Montgomery added, “We have a goal of hitting 40 [lifts] an hour on average.
That would be a great accomplishment.”
Shipping Company (MSC), said that he
is excited by the prospect of “continuing
this great relationship” with Ports
America Chesapeake and realizing “better
productivity” as a result of the upgrades
at Seagirt. He called the celebration “a
milestone for the Port,” adding, “The
Port is looking toward the future, and the
future is today. When the Panama Canal
opens, the Port of Baltimore will be able to
accommodate the larger ships.”
Also attending the May event was Capt.
S.Y. Kuo, Evergreen Group Vice Chairman,
who said that he was at the celebration “to
congratulate the Port — it’s a big event.”
The four supersized cranes, each
purchased at a cost of $10 million, became
operational in January. Work on the
50-foot-deep berth concluded in 2012, two
years ahead of schedule. Thanks to these
accomplishments, “the Port of Baltimore
is sending a message to the international
shipping community that we’re open for
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Right: Evergreen’s Capt. S.Y. Kuo with Michael
Angelos, President of the Steamship Trade
Association of Baltimore.
Gov. Martin O’Malley shared a light moment with ILA members who stood beside the podium
during the Seagirt ceremony.
