Baltimore touts container record

Baltimore touts container record
   Port of Baltimore's public marine terminals set a record by handling 632,482 TEUs from April 2010 through March 2011, the best 12-month period for TEUs in the port's history.
   The Maryland port noted the previous record for most TEUs was 629,604 TEUs, set in February 2006 to January 2007, before the economic downturn.
   'This is another positive sign of an economy that is getting back on track,' said Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, in a statement.
   'In the last few years, the Port of Baltimore has been successful in securing major international container shipping companies to long-term contracts. The port has also initiated a new direct container service to the Far East,' he added. 'These are both key reasons for increased business and, more importantly, they are key reasons for a stable labor environment for thousands of good-paying, family-supporting jobs at this port.'
   In the last three years, O'Malley has signed multiyear, long-term contract extensions with container-shipping lines Evergreen Marine and Mediterranean Shipping Co. Both extensions guarantee the transport of containers through the port for the next several years.
   MSC also began a new direct, weekly container service from the port to the Far East, called the 'Golden Gate' service. That service has increased MSC's vessel calls and container volume through the port.