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Port of Baltimore welcomes largest container ship to ever visit Maryland

[ November 9, 2018   //   ]

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore welcomed the largest container ship to ever visit Maryland as the Gunde Maersk, which has a capacity to handle 11,000 TEU containers, arrived at the Seagirt Marine Terminal yesterday and worked through today. The massive vessel was able to call the Port of Baltimore because of the Port’s 50-foot deep channel and its supersized Neo-Panamax cranes.

“As a leading economic engine for our state, the Port of Baltimore is well-positioned to continue welcoming some of the largest container ships in the world,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Our administration will continue making the necessary investments to help this vital asset grow and ensure that the Port remains open for business.”

Previously, the largest container ship to visit the Port of Baltimore was an MSC vessel in 2017 with a capacity of 9,700 TEU containers. The Port of Baltimore is one of the few ports on the East Coast to have a 50-foot deep channel that is necessary to accommodate large ships. Under a public-private partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), the Seagirt Marine Terminal is operated by Ports America Chesapeake.

In September, Governor Hogan and the Maryland Board of Public Works approved a contract that will complete the fill in of a wet basin at the Port’s Fairfield Marine Terminal. This will create more land in a prime location adjacent to the piers to help handle the Port’s surging auto cargo.

In August the Port of Baltimore’s state-owned marine terminals handled 65,281 cars and light trucks, the highest monthly amount on record ever.

In addition to the record month for cars, the Port’s state-owned marine terminals in 2018 have established records for:
• Best Fiscal Year (July 2017-June 2018) for general cargo tons: 10,976,270 tons
• Best Quarter for general cargo tons: 2,797,656 tons (second quarter)
• Best 1st Six months for general cargo tons: 5,562,954 tons
• Most TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) containers in one month: 90,152 in May.

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