Page 115 - Rukert - 100th Anniversary

PART II BRINGING THE WORLD TO BALTIMORE
assembling and testing the crane. Joe Ey was on scene from start to finish, just as he had been when the PECO was erected in 1982. The arrival of the cutting-edge crane distinguished Rukert as the first East Coast terminal to own and operate the 500 S model, the largest mobile harbor crane on the East Coast at that time!
In September 2010, Rukert Terminals officially unveiled its new 50-foot berth, 100-year pier and 500-ton mobile crane at Lazaretto
with a two-day celebration. On the first day, employees gathered on the pier for a special lunch, group photos and “practice christening.”
A large champagne bottle was hung from the crane’s four-ton hook and smashed on a bollard
at “B” berth. The next day, with local officials
in attendance, lunch was followed by a second
dedication, this one using a huge 15-liter bottle
of champagne, the equivalent of 20 regular-size bottles. Though Cap wasn’t alive to see the newest improvement to the terminal he acquired in the 1940s, his friend Helen Delich Bentley was. She told the Port of Baltimore magazine that Cap would be proud to see the third and fourth generations continuing his legacy and building for the future. The reconstructed pier, 50-foot berth and versatile crane not only prepared Rukert Terminals for the next generation of vessels and cargo, but it also set a new standard for other terminals in Baltimore. Norm Rukert considers
the pier and crane
dedication one of the
highpoints in his long
and industrious career.
FACING PAGE: Pier dedication plaque thanking the third generation and presented by the fourth generation. From left to right: Kristi Brown, Andy Nixon, Scott Nixon, Samantha Rukert, Pam Nixon, Jeff Solomon, Bud Nixon, Shaun Rukert, Norm Rukert Jr., Jean Rukert, MaryLynne Solomon, Ron Solomon.
LEFT: John Coulter explains the capabilities of the new crane to local dignitaries as she moves into place for the christening.
BELOW: In 2010, a new crane, berth and pier were dedicated with a 15-liter bottle of champagne. (As shown, it did not survive the celebration.)
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