Governor Larry Hogan Announces New 30-year Contract for Port of Baltimore

Norway-based Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Long-Term Extension Supporting Nearly 1,000 Direct Jobs

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan, along with state and local elected officials, today announced a new 30-year contract between the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Port Administration and the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s top roll on/roll off customer, global shipping and logistics giant Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL). Roll on/roll off cargo includes everything from cars to heavy farm and construction machinery such as harvesters, combines, excavators, and dump trucks. The new partnership guarantees that WWL will continue serving the Port of Baltimore through 2045.

“Our entire administration is committed to making Maryland more business friendly, and today we add WWL to our state's growing list of business success stories," said Governor Hogan. "This new contract, tying WWL's success to that of the Port of Baltimore for the next three decades, will support nearly 1,000 jobs here in Maryland and is a ringing endorsement of the strength and importance of this partnership.”

The new contract replaces an existing 20-year deal between WWL and the Port that was due to expire in 2021. It also supports nearly 1,000 direct jobs at the Port of Baltimore and 1,500 indirect jobs that are generated by WWL business in the state.

WWL has played a large role in developing the Port of Baltimore into the number one auto and ro/ro port in the nation. In 2014, the Port of Baltimore handled a record 792,000 cars, which was more than any other U.S. port. It also saw more than 861,000 tons of ro/ro equipment cross its piers.

“Baltimore is WWL’s largest port of business in the Americas, and a gateway to key markets in the U.S. and around the globe,” said Raymond Fitzgerald, President – Atlantic at Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. “WWL-operated ships call Baltimore nearly 150 times each year to accommodate the needs of our customers—some of the largest and top vehicle, heavy machinery and RoRo shippers in the world.”

The Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals had a record year in 2014 and overall the Port saw 29.5 million tons of international cargo cross its docks at a value of nearly $53 billion. Baltimore is ranked as the top port among all U.S. ports for handling autos and light trucks, farm and construction machinery, imported forest products, imported sugar and imported aluminum. Overall, Baltimore is ranked ninth for the total dollar value of cargo and 13th for cargo tonnage for all U.S. ports. Earlier this year the Port of Baltimore was named as the top U.S. port for container berth productivity by a leading industry media company.

Business at the Port of Baltimore generates about 13,650 direct jobs, while about 127,600 jobs in Maryland are linked to Port activities. The Port is responsible for nearly $3 billion in personal wages and salary and more than $300 million in state and local tax revenues.