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First as mayor
of the city of Baltimore and now as governor of the great state of Maryland,
I know what the Port of Baltimore means to our everyday lives. From the
clothing we wear to the cars we drive, from the magazines we read to the
sugar we put in our coffee, it is easy to take for granted the many uses of
our great Port. But that is only part of the Port’s story. The Port of
Baltimore in recent years has evolved in other ways, including sustaining a
reputation for being a true environmental leader, emerging into as secure a
port as any in the U.S., and continuing to grow an expanding cruise
business.
Today’s Port of
Baltimore remains a job provider and major source of revenue for the State
of Maryland. The Port of Baltimore is known as one of Maryland’s main
economic engines. Approximately 120,000 jobs are linked to the Port,
including 16,500 direct jobs. The Port is also a major source of personal
and business revenue for Maryland. In 2006, the Port was responsible for
$3.6 billion in personal wages and salary income and it generated $1.9
billion in business revenues. The Port also generated state, county, and
municipal taxes of $388 million.
The year 2007
was another record-breaking year for the Port of Baltimore. General cargo
handled through the Maryland Port Administration’s (MPA) public marine
terminals reached an all-time high of 8.7 million tons. This marked the
sixth consecutive record year for tonnage. The total dollar value of
cargo in 2007 was a record $41.9 billion, a $5 billion hike over 2006’s
then-record $36.7 billion. Exports reached 11.3 million tons, which was
35 percent higher than in 2006 and the Port’s highest overall export level
since 1996.
The Port of Baltimore ranked first among 360 U.S. ports for:
auto exports, roll on/roll off (farm and construction equipment), trucks,
imported forest products, imported gypsum, and imported iron ore and
imported sugar. Overall, the Port of Baltimore is ranked 12th
nationally for total dollar value of cargo and 13th nationally
for total foreign cargo handled.
As a result of
its outstanding work to increase U.S. exports, the Maryland Port
Administration (MPA) which oversees the public terminals at the Port of
Baltimore, was honored in 2007 with the Presidential “E” award. The award
was created in 1961 to recognize persons, firms, or organizations that
contribute significantly to increase U.S. exports. The MPA was awarded
this special distinction for its increased export business over the last
several years. The MPA, which also won the “E” award in 1964, is only the
23rd port organization out of 361 total ports in the U.S. to win
the highly acclaimed recognition. It is only the fourth port to win the
award twice.
In addition to its economic role, the MPA is an award-winning
friend of the environment. In 2007, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon awarded
the MPA with a Mayor’s Business Recognition Award for the MPA’s Masonville
Cove Environmental Education Project. The project will cleanup over 22
acres of contaminated land around Baltimore Harbor and transform one of
Baltimore’s most contaminated sites into an area that will benefit wildlife,
local residents, and the port industry.
“This project is a wonderful example of how government and
local communities can work together to produce something positive,” said
Governor O’Malley. “For years, this was an area that was unclean, unkempt,
and unsafe. Very soon, it will be a place to learn about the environment,
to spot wildlife, and enjoy outdoor recreation using some of our state’s
beautiful natural resources.”
In addition to
the education center, the Masonville restoration project will include: a new
environmental park and wildlife area; a series of hiker / biker trails that
will provide local residents access to the Patapsco River at Masonville
Cove; a boat ramp limited to non-power boats including kayaks and canoes;
improvements to stream and fish habitat; and, trash interceptors that will
keep storm water runoff trash from entering Baltimore Harbor.
The MPA’s
dredged material placement program has successfully partnered with other
neighboring communities to identify sediment placement sites that have
enhanced the Chesapeake Bay and its adjacent lands. The Poplar Island
project is an award winning, nationally recognized beneficial use project
off the Eastern Shore. Another success story, Hart-Miller Island, has been
transformed into a recreational locale for boaters with a wildlife preserve
and habitat.
The MPA’s environmental
awareness practices extend even past its renowned dredging program. Last
year, the MPA completed a fleet-wide conversion of its diesel-powered
vehicles and equipment from using low sulfur diesel fuel to ultra-low sulfur
and bio-diesel fuel. Also, the MPA’s Green Schools program continues to
be a success. Identified schools have concrete pavement areas removed and
replaced by grass, trees and gardens. The new green spaces provide safer
surfaces and more aesthetically-pleasing environments for children to
play.
On the security
front, it is my goal to make the Port of Baltimore one of the most secure
ports in the nation. In 2007, the Port opened a new high-tech entrance and
departure point for trucks wishing to enter the Port. The system uses
real-time video feeds and security checks to instantly verify a trucker’s
identification and purpose of visit. It tells us whether a person
requires entry into the Port.
The Port of
Baltimore became one of the first U.S. ports to check 100 percent of all
imported containers for radiation. The MPA will also soon activate a video
surveillance system for its public terminals. On our terminals and on our
waterways, we will continue to work with our federal, state and local law
enforcement partners to utilize the latest technology to aggressively
protect our port.
In cruise news,
2008 was a very exciting year for the Port. The Port welcomed Norwegian
Cruise Line as a partner with Royal Caribbean International that home ported
in Baltimore. The year 2009 promises even more cruise business as the Port
of Baltimore welcomes Carnival Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises. Carnival
will initiate Baltimore’s first year-round cruising program beginning in
April 2009. Celebrity comes to Baltimore in November 2009 for a three-month
winter sailing schedule.
As we move
forward during the next four years, we will focus on measures that will
continue the positive momentum at the Port of Baltimore. Our key goals
include: the construction of a 50-foot berth to enhance our competitiveness;
a renewed focus on the niche markets outlined in our strategic business plan
that have served the Port so well in recent years; the attraction of more
cruises to increase cruise passenger traffic in Baltimore; and the use of
new technology and old-fashioned hard work to make the Port of Baltimore one
of the safest ports in the nation.
The Port of
Baltimore is stronger today than it has ever been. Whether you are talking
about business, the environment or security, our port has made impressive
strides. Yet, there is much more to do. As governor, I look forward to
working with the leadership at the port to continue the great work already
underway.
-- Governor Martin O’Malley
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