Containers continue their strong rebound at the Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals. In August, 57,510 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit) containers made their way across Baltimore’s docks. That ranks second in the Port’s history, right behind July’s record number of 63,740 and in front of the 57,277 TEU containers that were handled in June. Prior to those three months, the previous record was 56,454, set in July 2005 and before the economic downturn.

“The recent surge in containers coming through the Port of Baltimore is very good news for retailers, consumers and jobs at the Port,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “This trend indicates that consumer demand is on the rise, more goods are being produced and more cargo is being exported and imported. These are all very favorable signs as we continue to recover from an extremely challenging economic decline.”

The top five months of the most containers handled at the Port of Baltimore (measured in TEU’s):

  • July 2010 - 63,740
  • August 2010 - 57,510
  • June 2010 - 57,277
  • July 2005 - 56,454
  • July 2006 - 56,219

In addition to an improving economy, the Maryland Port Administration which oversees the Port of Baltimore’s public terminals has been successful in signing two of the world’s leading container shipping companies to long-term contracts. In 2008, the Mediterranean Shipping Company and Evergreen Marine Corporation signed extended agreements guaranteeing their continued business through the Port of Baltimore for the next several years.