Page 9 - Port of Baltimore Magazine Oct/Sept 2013
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September/October 2013
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The Port of Baltimore
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GOVERNOR’S
Message
T
hanks to our dynamic private sector and the strong
partnerships we have forged with our growing business
community, Maryland has recovered the jobs lost in the
national recession. Successful cooperation between the
public and private sectors is key to our ongoing efforts to expand
opportunity and grow our increasingly diverse middle class.
Few places in Maryland highlight this cooperation better than
the Port of Baltimore. The public and private marine terminals at our
bustling Port routinely welcome massive cargo and cruise vessels
that bring business and tremendous economic opportunities to
our state. The Port has seen record-setting growth — growth that
is directly attributable to the support and commitment of the best
congressional delegation in the nation.
Dredging is the lifeline of the Port of Baltimore. Simply put,
without properly maintained shipping channels, the huge ships
of today, and the supersized ones of tomorrow, could not safely
travel to the Port on import or export voyages. If ships are not
able to come here, then those good-paying, family-supporting
jobs that our Port is known for would be lost. Dredging doesn’t
happen without our hard-working congressional leaders. Led by
our esteemed senators, Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, “Team
Maryland” has been successful over the years in securing targeted
federal investments to properly deepen and widen the waterways
leading to the Port.
Our congressional members have been equally successful in
obtaining scarce federal funding to help make the Port of Baltimore
one of the most secure ports in the nation. They have helped the
Port receive security grants for everything from closed-circuit
cameras to mobile sonar intrusion detection. Their work has helped
make the Port a safer workplace for the thousands of people who
work there every day, and a secure gateway to our State and our
Country.
Maryland is fortunate to have a united and driven congressional
delegation fighting for middle-class jobs at the Port of Baltimore
and throughout the State. We know we can count on them to make
sure the Port remains competitive, and that Maryland’s private
sector continues to create prosperity from the middle out.
Martin O’Malley,
Governor
EXECUTIVE
View
Cooperation Remains the Key for Continued Economic Growth
‘Team Maryland’ Helps to Keep the Port Competitive
I
’m going to echo Governor O’Malley’s thoughts on our
congressional delegation: the Port of Baltimore would not be
as successful as it is today without the hard-working men and
women on Team Maryland.
From matters as diverse as dredging to port security, I feel very
confident that our two senators and eight congressmen and women
are always doing what they can to keep the Port of Baltimore
competitive.
As Senator Mikulski herself said when she recently visited
the Port of Baltimore, the congressional delegation is “no Johnny
or Janey come lately when it comes to fighting for the Port.” I
couldn’t agree more. This true team understands what the Port of
Baltimore is all about and what it really means — which are jobs.
They understand how fortunate we all are in Maryland that we
have one of the busiest U.S. seaports right in our own backyard.
They understand that we cannot take that for granted. We need
to continue to push forward and do things to strengthen it.
In addition to the Port’s role as an economic engine for our
state, our congressional team understands the importance of port
security. The MPA cannot thank them enough for their hands-on
involvement in securing federal port security grants for us over
the past several years. These grants have greatly helped to
secure the Port itself and the thousands of people who work
here every day.
I have often said that the success of the Port of Baltimore
depends on many people working together for the good of the
Port. It is tremendously reassuring to me to know that we can
depend on our outstanding congressional team to lead the effort
in making our Port one of the best in the nation.
James J. White,
Executive Director
Maryland Port Administration
