Autos roll into Baltimore

Autos roll into Baltimore    The Port of Baltimore reached a record first half in 2011 for cars, handling more international auto tonnage than any other U.S. port.
   More than 538,000 tons of autos made their way over Baltimore’s public and private marine terminals during the first six months of 2011, a 15 percent increase over the same time period of 2010. The statistics were compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau and analyzed by Global Trade Atlas.
   The number of actual cars that came across the Maryland port’s docks during the first six months of 2011 was 270,700, about 30,000 more than during the same time in 2010. Baltimore ranked second in the nation in 2010 for autos behind New York.
   Overall general cargo at the port’s terminals during the first six months increased 13 percent to 4.5 million tons. Total foreign commerce from public and private terminals was 19.3 million tons, a 12 percent increase from the first half of 2010. Total dollar value of foreign cargo was $24.1 billion, a 24 percent jump from the same period in 2010.
   All targeted commodities at the port’s public terminals were up in the first half of 2011. In addition to autos:
   • Roll on/roll off (farm and construction machinery) climbed 51 percent.
   • Containers rose 10 percent.
   • Pulp (used to produce paper towels, tissues, diapers) was up 12 percent.
   • Breakbulk increased 11 percent.
   • Paper was up 6 percent.
   Out of about 360 U.S. ports, the Port of Baltimore ranks as the top port in the nation for handling ro/ro cargoes, trucks and imported forest products, gypsum, sugar, salt, aluminum and iron ore. It also ranks second in the United States for exported coal.