Baltimore has moved up in national port rankings, up one spot for cargo tonnage and two spots for cargo value.
The port moved 32.8 million tons of cargo worth $41.5 billion in 2010. That was good for the 13th heaviest and 11th most valuable cargo among the nation’s 360 ports.
Those numbers will help the port when it seeks federal funding for shipping channel improvements, Maryland Port AdministrationbizWatch Executive Director James J. White said in an interview.
“This will help us this year when we’re talking to the Army Corps of Engineers about dredging issues,” White said.
Some of the boom in cargo can be attributed to strong coal exports from two Baltimore terminals owned by CSX and CNX. The port moved up from second nationally to third for exported coal in 2010.
The port also moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 for autos and imported aluminum.
Business is up in 2011 so far. For the first six months of the year, general cargo tonnage is up 14 percent over the first six months of 2010.
The U.S. Census Bureau compiles the cargo data.
(baltimorebiz)
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Source: baltimorebiz, August 10, 2011