Governor Moore Announces Port of Baltimore Recovery Milestone Following Key Bridge Collision and Collapse

By BJLife Newsroom
Posted on 02/26/25

Baltimore, MD - Feb. 25, 2025 - Governor Wes Moore today announced that the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s state-owned public and private marine terminals handled 45.9 million tons of cargo in 2024, making it the second-best ever year after 2023 when the port handled a record 52.3 million tons. More than 25.5 million of the nearly 46 million tons of cargo were handled during the last six months of 2024. The total cargo had a value of $62.2 billion, third-most in the Port’s history. 

“The Port of Baltimore is one of the top ports in the nation and one of Maryland’s leading economic generators,” said Gov. Moore. “These numbers reveal the hard work happening at the Port to finish the year strong, despite a challenging start. We are especially grateful to our Port’s workers, whose indomitable spirit and dedication brought us to this moment. Our administration will continue to promote our great port with infrastructure investments that will help grow business and create additional jobs.”

The Port of Baltimore handled 848,628 tons of roll on/roll off farm and construction machinery, which again was number one among all U.S. ports. Baltimore also handled more imported forest products and imported gypsum than other ports. The Port handled 749,799 cars and light trucks in 2024, ranking second nationally. It also ranked second for salt and exported coal. Overall, the Port of Baltimore finished 10th nationally for total cargo and 11th for dollar value among U.S. ports. 

“The Port of Baltimore is a powerful economic engine for all of Maryland that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “While there is more work ahead in the Port’s recovery, these cargo numbers set the foundation for growth and a stronger year ahead.”

“We had a solid year in 2024 and are now fully focused on making 2025 even better,” said Maryland Port Administration Executive Director Jonathan Daniels. “Our terminal operators, private facilities, outstanding International Longshoremen’s Association labor, and incredible supply chain partners are primed and ready to make 2025 a very successful year.”

Other significant achievements in 2024 for the Port of Baltimore included:

• The launch of double-stacked containers on rail to and from the port as part of the Howard Street Tunnel Project. A temporary route allowing double-stacked containers became operational in October along the CSX network in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and onto the Midwest. When reconstruction work on the tunnel is completed in 2026, the permanent and more efficient route would go from Baltimore through the tunnel and onward into the Midwest. The Howard Street Tunnel project benefits from investment from the federal government, the State of Maryland, CSX and others.
• A new five-year contract with Carnival Cruise Line that keeps the world’s largest cruise provider serving the Port of Baltimore. The agreement took effect on January 1, 2025 and includes a five-year renewal option. Carnival offers five to 14-day cruises from Baltimore to wonderful destinations like the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean and New England/Canada.
• For the 15th consecutive year, the Port received a top U.S. Coast Guard security assessment for its six state-owned marine terminals. In recent years, the Maryland Port Administration has installed high-mast lighting and fencing, stronger gate and fence line conditions, additional signage, and other physical security equipment. Heightened cyber security and access control initiatives coupled with the MPA’s closed-circuit television network have added to the robust and effective security program.

The Port of Baltimore attained all of these achievements despite interruptions in service at the Port caused by the allision of the M/V Dali with the Francis Scott Key Bridge and resulting collapse of the bridge. But for the collapse of the Key Bridge, it is expected that 2024 would have achieved even better results.

The Port of Baltimore generates about 20,300 direct jobs, with more than 273,000 jobs overall linked to Port activities.