Maryland Port Administration News

The catastrophic bridge collapse that closed the Port of Baltimore to ship traffic is unlikely to trigger a major new U.S. supply chain crisis or spike goods prices, due to ample and growing spare capacity at competing East Coast ports, economists and logistics experts say.With six people still missing after a container ship collision destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge, it remained unclear how long the span's twisted superstructure would block the harbor's mouth.But port officials…

U.S. automakers General Motors and Ford will reroute affected shipments after a bridge collapse in the U.S. shuttered the Port of Baltimore, but the companies said on Tuesday the impact will be minimal."We expect the situation to have minimal impact to our operations. We are working to re-route any vehicle shipments to other ports," GM said in a statement.The Port of Baltimore is the busiest U.S. port for car shipments, handling at least 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration.

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld has announced Jonathan Daniels as the new executive director of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Port Administration. Daniels comes to Maryland after serving as chief executive officer and director at Port Everglades in Broward County, Fla., and has more than 30 years of port and economic development experience.Daniels will begin in his new position February 5, taking over from Brian Miller, who has been serving…

The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) announced William P. Doyle will return to lead the trade association as chief executive officer and executive director.Doyle, a well-known figure in the U.S. maritime industry, most recently served nearly three years as the executive director of Maryland Port Administration, overseeing the six state-owned marine terminals at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. He resigned from the position on June 16.Doyle previously served as CEO for the DCA, and two terms as a U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner, twice unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) signed a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) for the $4 billion Mid-Chesapeake Bay ecosystem restoration project at MDOT Headquarters, August 23, 2022.The PPA – signed by Col. Estee Pinchasin, Baltimore District commander, and MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. – outlines the roles, responsibilities, and financial obligations for both partners for the restoration of both James and Barren islands in Dorchester County…

The containership Ever Forward has been refloated after more than a month aground in the Chesapeake Bay, near the Port of Baltimore. The Hong Kong-registered vessel was freed around 7 a.m. on Sunday after running aground on March 13 while en route from Baltimore to Norfolk, Va.Salvors removed a portion of the nearly 5,000 containers on board to reduce groundforce following two failed attempts to dredge around and tow out the 1,095-foot-long containership on March 29 and 30. The ship…

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA), Port of Baltimore, officially joined the Council for Dredging and Marine Construction Safety (CDMCS), a national unified safety voice for the dredging and marine construction industry.The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest seaports in the United States, handling every type of cargo at its public and private terminals. Currently, Baltimore is in the execution phase of more than $200 million in marine construction, dredging and infrastructure upgrades at Seagirt, Dundalk and Locust Point Marine Terminals.

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore reports it has again topped its record for most container moves from a single ship.The 6,000 container moves conducted by longshore workers from the Maersk Edinburgh at the Seagirt Marine Terminal this week are the most ever in the port's the 315-year history. Maersk Edinburgh arrived at the port on Monday, February 8, and left early Thursday, February 11. The final container move was completed at 9:40 p.m. Wednesday.The new high mark—which counts the number of times an imported container is unloaded from a ship…

The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are marking a milestone of environmental stewardship this month on the landmark restoration of Poplar Island near Talbot County. Simultaneously, the agencies are advancing plans for their next partnership using dredged materials to preserve and protect Maryland’s waterways: the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration.Since 1998, Poplar Island has…

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal topped its record for most container moves from a single ship.The 5,536 container moves conducted by longshore workers handling the Maersk Edinburgh over three days was the largest number of moves for a single ship in the port’s 314-year history, surging past the previous record of 5,181 moves set last year.“This record container activity is a significant milestone for the Port of Baltimore and a sign that the maritime shipping industry is coming back and fueling Maryland’s economic recovery,” said Governor Larry Hogan.

Former Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) executive director and Weeks Marine’s corporate and government relations director Mark D. Sickles will serve as Interim CEO and executive director as the organization searches for new staff leadership to succeed outgoing DCA head William P. Doyle, who has been appointed to lead the Maryland Port Administration, and Executive Director of the Port of Baltimore.Sickles was unanimously approved by the DCA board of directors and general membership during its annual meeting on July 9.

William P. Doyle is the incoming Executive Director of the Maryland Port Administration. A former U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner, Doyle currently serves as CEO & Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America – and the group's member companies have recently made a series of announcements to build new dredges of several types and sizes. We caught up with the incoming Port of Baltimore head to discuss his initial goals for the new role. How do you feel about being selected the head of MPA and Executive Director of the Port of Baltimore?I feel terrific.

William P. Doyle, a former U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner, has been hired to lead the Port of Baltimore as the new executive director of the Maryland Port Administration, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced.Currently CEO and Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America, Doyle will take the helm at the Port of Baltimore effective July 22, succeeding Jim White, who announced he would step down at the end of 2019. Doyle was appointed by Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Greg Slater…

American Roll-on Roll-off Carrier (ARC) will christen the ARC Resolve, ARC Integrity and the ARC Independence, welcoming three of the most versatile and militarily-useful ships to the U.S.-flag commercial fleet, on Friday in the Port of Baltimore.ARC’s three, new vessels will be enrolled in the Maritime Security Program (MSP), the bedrock Congressional maritime readiness program, and the Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA).Maritime Administrator Mark H. Buzby will deliver the keynote address at the ship naming ceremony. He will be joined by several other distinguished speakers: Major General Michael C. Wehr, director of Strategic Plans, Policy, and Logistics (J5/J4) at U.S.

TOTE Inc. president and CEO Anthony Chiarello will retire this summer after eight years at the helm and nearly four decades in the maritime industry. “As I look ahead to my 63rd birthday later this year, it is time for me to spend more time with my family and loved ones,” Chiarello said. TOTE said its parent company Saltchuk will make an announcement regarding Chiarello’s successor in due course. Chiarello began his career in stevedoring at ITO, now part of Ports America, in the…

Ports America Chesapeake and CSX Intermodal Terminals today announced a new agreement designed to immediately enhance the competitiveness of the Port of Baltimore and position it to capture additional freight business through more efficient service. The new agreement transfers operational responsibility for the intermodal container service at the port from CSX Intermodal Terminals to Ports America Chesapeake, consolidating management of the operation and enhancing service through Ports America’s on-dock handling and operational expertise. “With the expansion of the Panama Canal, we see tremendous growth opportunities at the Port of Baltimore,” said Ports America CEO and President Michael Hassing.

International container shipping company CMA-CGM of France announced that it will begin service within the next couple of weeks to the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. The Port of Baltimore has been added to CMA-CGM’s Liberty Solo service which also includes visits to ports in Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Le Havre, New York, and Charleston. “This is great news for the Port of Baltimore and for the thousands of men and women who work here,” said Maryland Port Administration (MPA) Executive Director James J. White. “CMA-CGM is one of the largest container shipping companies in the world. The Port of Baltimore averages nearly 40 container moves per hour per crane, one of the fastest and most efficient rates among East Coast ports.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – a trade group representing ports throughout the Western Hemisphere – today at its 103rd Annual Convention and Expo in Houston honored three port industry leaders. Receiving AAPA’s Distinguished Service Award were former Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani and Dr. Bory Steinberg, founder and principal of the water resources advisory firm of Steinberg & Associates, and a former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program chief. Receiving AAPA’s ImPORTant Service Award was Port of Everett (Wash.) CEO John Mohr. Recipients of the association’s Distinguished Service Award are honored for their dedicated efforts toward the enrichment of the maritime and port industries throughout the Western Hemisphere.

As Tote pioneers the use of natural gas as a marine fuel with two groundbreaking projects, Anthony Chiarello combines the strength and diversity of the Saltchuk group of companies with a forward-thinking, environmentally correct Tote business plan. As TOTE prepares to bring the world’s first natural gas-powered containerships to the maritime industry, the firm will also be the first to convert its existing fleet to run on natural gas. Two Orca Class vessels, operated by Totem Ocean Trailer Express (Totem Ocean) in the Alaska trade, will be converted with minimal time out of service and return as the most environmentally advanced ships in the nation.

BMW Group celebrated the official opening of its newest Vehicle Distribution Center at the Port of Baltimore yesterday. The facility will serve 96 dealers within the Central and Eastern regions of BMW’s dealer network. Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America, and Craig Westbrook, Vice President – Aftersales, BMW of North America, were in attendance and spoke at the opening. “BMW Group year-to-date sales in the U.S. set a new benchmark, topping 246,000 vehicles in the first eight months of this year, and we are full of confidence that we will follow our success through the remaining months of 2014,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. With this new facility, BMW enhances its position at the largest car processing port on the East Coast.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced Friday that 72 projects will receive a total of $600 million from the sixth round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. Of these, 12 Coalition for America’s Gateway and Trade Corridor (CAGTC) member projects were awarded a total of $135 million for projects with full costs exceeding $490 million. One in three grant dollars, just over $198 million, was awarded to 25 projects supporting freight movement. Compared to previous rounds, this represents a decrease in the amount of money and total awards given to freight relative to other types of projects.

Workers have agreed to a 90-day extension on local contracts following talks between Local 333 of the International Longshoremen’s Association and the Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore Inc., reports Bloomberg, citing a statement by Richard Scher, a spokesman for the Maryland Port Administration. Earlier, the Maryland Port Administration was notified by the Steamship Trade Association that Master Contract cargo could be worked, which included containers and roll on/roll off vessels. The 90-day extension agreement by Local 333 ends the stoppage and all cargo is now being worked.

Multiple sources reported that a longshoremen labor strike at the Port of Baltimore Wednesday morning has forced the closure of the port’s major terminals. All cargos at the port's public marine terminals continue to be affected and no ships are operating. The strike was brought into effect by a vote held Tuesday night where the International Longshoremen's Association Local 333 rejected a local contract with the Steamship Trade Association of Baltimore, which represent the port's employers of longshoremen, The Baltimore Sun reported.