It?s pretty smooth sailing right now at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. In a historic moment, the Maryland Port Administration received the Presidential “E” Award for excellence in exporting during a ceremony at the White House late last week. Recognized for its accomplishments over the past few years, the MPA became just the 23rd port organization out of 361 in the United States. to win the award.
Baltimore is one of only four portsto win the award twice. The MPA previously won the award in 1964.
“We are coming off a very good year in 2006 and we have set a number of records for cargo and are off to a very strong start in 2007,” MPA executive director Brooks Royster said.
From 2002 through 2006, general cargo exported from the public marine terminal grew by 42 percent, an increase from 1.8 million tons up to 2.5 million tons. In 2006, the port also set an all-time record for general cargo, handling more than 9.3 million tons of goods, while overseeing the shipping of more than 30 million tons of foreign cargo.
Nationally, the Port of Baltimore ranks number one in the shipping of tractors, farm and construction equipment and trucks. It comes in second for importing wood pulp and exporting cars.
In dollars, the port has quite the impact as well. Last year, it generated nearly $2.4 billion in wages and salaries and $278 million in municipal, county and state taxes.
But there could be rougher waters ahead.
Recently, the federal government has elected to slash the port?s homeland security infrastructure grants from $4.8 million to $1.9 million. Despite the state?s requirement to match a quarter of that amount, it puts the port in a difficult situation to do more with less resources.
“With what we don?t know about the terrorist capabilities it is imperative that we prepare,” said Jim Loy, former U.S. Transportation secretary, at a port safety conference in Baltimore.
