Baltimore sets box cargo record in August

The mid-Atlantic port is on pace to blow past last year’s annual high for container volumes, according to the most recent data from the Maryland Port Administration.    The Port of Baltimore set an all-time record for container volumes in a single month with 86,149 TEUs handled in August, the Maryland Port Administration announced Thursday.
   The amount of cargo crossing the docks eclipsed the previous record of 79,644 TEUs set in June.
   For the year, container traffic is up almost 13 percent so far to 565,374 TEUs. Last year, the Port of Baltimore handled a record 770,179 TEUs.
   Baltimore is picking up some cargo diverted by shippers from the West Coast to avoid congestion and has also benefited from ocean liners adding new, regular services to the port. The Journal of Commerce recently ranked Baltimore as the top U.S. port for berth productivity.
   The MPA’s release of port statistics are one month behind most other port authorities, as many ports have already reported September volumes.