By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOTThe Port of Baltimore is a system of publically and privately operated terminals. Many are positioning themselves to create a stronger, more competitive port. Top headlines have centered on Ports America, which is spending $100+ million on a new 50-foot berth at Seagirt Marine Terminal. That berth is already 50 percent completed, and is ahead of schedule and under budget. “It will be fully operational two years or more before the Panama Canal widening project opens in 2014,” emphasizes Christopher Lee, managing director of Highstar Capital, the independent investment fund that owns Ports America Chesapeake and leases the Seagirt Marine Terminal at the Port of Baltimore. As a result, shipping customers such as MSC and Evergreen will be able to bring containers to the port in 12,000 TEU ships that right now can only call on the U.S. West Coast. “Larger ships mean economies of scale, and all-water service to the East Coast means the end of cross-country rail trips,” Lee says. That translates to lower costs and travel time. Ports America also operates a private container terminal within Dundalk Marine Terminal. Dundalk Marine Terminal One of the strengths of the Port of Baltimore is its variety of terminals that handle everything from roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) cargoes, to lumber, metals, food, and containerized freight. Reaffirming the port’s position as the top U.S. ro-ro port, Baltimore recently signed a 20-year, 150-acre agreement to serve as the East Coast hub for Wallenius Wilhelmsen, which will service Dundalk Marine Terminal. Baltimore’s proximity to major farm and construction equipment manufacturers in the Midwest has helped the Port become the leading U.S. port for exporting combines, tractors and hay balers, and importing excavators and backhoes. ACL calls at Dundalk every Thursday. Besides handling automobiles, the carrier is big on agriculture and construction equipment. “We handle various standard trucks, special purpose trucks, and also long and high loads – things that don’t fit into containers,” says Bob Willman, ACL general manager of Ro Ro Services for North America. ACL’s East Coast rotation is Halifax, Port of New York/New Jersey, Baltimore, Norfolk then back to the European ports of Liverpool, Antwerp, Hamburg and Gothenburg. “In Europe, we connect with our owner, Grimaldi Lines, which services Europe throughout the Mediterranean,” Willman says. Recently, the carrier’s outbound trade from the United States picked up significantly after several years of the recession. “We bounced back in 2010, and are now much stronger in 2011,” he says. One of the keys to its success is its use of transshipments to help fill space and offer service to the trade. ACL benefits from the Port of Baltimore because stevedores at Dundalk are “extremely dedicated and focused on the ro-ro trades,” Willman says. Widening Commitment With 13 berths, nine container cranes, and direct rail access, the 570-acre Dundalk Marine Terminal remains the largest and most versatile general cargo facility at the Port of Baltimore. Several auto processors maintain operations at Dundalk. Last year stevedoring company Ceres Terminals Inc. (CTI) signed a lease for 12 additional acres at Dundalk, the result of which attracted Hoegh Autoliners to move its vessel calls in its European Service to Dundalk from the port’s Fairfield terminal. Hoegh brings ro-ro cargoes to the port, typically construction and farm equipment. Ceres was already leasing 5 acres at Dundalk from the Maryland Port Administration (MPA). Douglas N. Wolfe, port manager at Ceres, explains that Ceres leased the additional acreage because the terminal operator recognized the opportunity to not only attract Hoegh Autoliners, but also to provide existing customers with a stronger cargo base in Baltimore.   “Ceres’ Dundalk Terminal gives our customers the ability to grow their shipper base by having more space where they co