Port of Baltimore Sets Container Record in August
The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore handled a record 86,149 twenty-foot-equivalent units of total container volume in August as shipping volume continued to swell.
August volume of total containers, including empties, rose 12.6 percent year-over-year and surpassed the previous single-month record of 79,644 TEUs in June. Import loads totaled 58,340 TEUs, up 13.2 percent year-over year and just short of the June record of 59,532 TEUs.
“The Port of Baltimore continues to demonstrate why it’s so important to the overall economic success of our state,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “I congratulate all the hard working people at the Port who helped make this record breaking month possible. This is another great example of how we are working to make Maryland open for business.”
Container shipping at the Port of Baltimore is up nearly 13 percent compared to last year. Last month, the Port announced a record for the most general cargo tons in a fiscal year as well as most TEU containers in a 12-month period. Earlier this year, the Journal of Commerce named the Port of Baltimore as the top U.S.port for container berth productivity.
The Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals had a record year in 2014 for general cargo, autos and containers. Overall, the Port’s public and private marine terminals saw 29.5 million tons of international cargo cross its docks at a value of nearly $53 billion.
Baltimore is ranked number one among all U.S. ports for handling autos and light trucks, farm and construction machinery, imported forest products, imported sugar and imported aluminum. Baltimore is ranked ninth for the total dollar value of cargo and 13th for cargo tonnage for all U.S. ports.
Business at the Port of Baltimore generates about 13,650 direct jobs, while about 127,600 jobs in Maryland are linked to Port activities. The Port is responsible for nearly $3 billion in personal wages and salary and more than $300 million in state and local tax revenues.
