Annapolis, MD — Governor Wes Moore today announced that the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s state-owned public and private marine terminals set new records for total cargo vessel visits and container activity. The record year follows the port’s historic recovery in 2024 following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse—an achievement made possible by the coordinated effort to clear the Fort McHenry shipping channel into the Port of Baltimore.
“The Port of Baltimore is a cornerstone of Maryland’s economy and one of the most important ports in the country,” said Gov. Moore. “We are grateful to the workers whose unwavering commitment and resilience made this progress possible. Our administration will continue to promote our port’s infrastructure to strengthen our supply chains, drive economic growth in our state, and create more good-paying jobs for our people.”
The Port’s state-owned public marine terminals, along with its private terminals, handled 2,223 cargo vessel visits in 2025, surpassing the previous record of 2,137 ships set in 2023. The 2025 total represents a 21 percent increase over 2024.
“Making certain the right investments are made to continue to grow and expand the Port of Baltimore is critical,” said Maryland Acting Secretary of Transportation Katie Thomson. “The commitments we’re making now and in future years will continue to advance our multimodal freight network and further accelerate the Port’s growth and generate additional jobs.”
“Our incredible terminal operators, International Longshoremen’s Association labor force, truckers, freight forwarders, and our other valued business and supply chain partners deserve full credit for a successful 2025 for the Port of Baltimore,” said Maryland Port Administration Executive Director Jonathan Daniels. “We have exciting things on tap for 2026 and look forward to an even more productive year.”
A new record of 1,113,309 twenty-foot equivalent units—the standard measurement for containers used to ship goods across the world—were moved through the Seagirt Marine Terminal last year, exceeding the 2023 record by more than 5,000. The terminal also set records for ship calls, or individual vessel visits, with 689, surpassing the 2023 record by nearly 100. These gains coincided with an increase in weekly container services—regular, scheduled vessel routes—from 12 in 2024 to 15 in 2025.
“Ports America Chesapeake will continue making the right investments into the Seagirt Terminal that will generate increased business for the Port of Baltimore,” said Ports America Chesapeake President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Schmidt.
The Port’s container business is expected to grow further with the 2026 completion of the CSX Howard Street Tunnel Project, a $518 million initiative to modernize a 130-year-old freight tunnel in Baltimore. The new freight tunnel will allow the port to accommodate double-stacked container trains, increasing the Port’s capacity, while increasing competitiveness with regional ports—expanding potential business opportunities. The project is expected to increase the Port’s business by approximately 160,000 containers annually and generate nearly 14,000 jobs.
Final volume totals for other cargo categories are still being finalized, though several targeted commodities handled at the public terminals are expected to exceed their 2024 totals.
Additional 2025 highlights include:
- Carnival Cruise Line Contract Extension: On January 1, 2025, the Maryland Port Administration’s five-year contract extension with Carnival Cruise Line took effect. The agreement ensured that the world’s largest cruise line continued year-round service from Baltimore. Carnival has operated in Maryland since 2004, and offers five to 14-day cruises from Baltimore to destinations like the Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean and New England/Canada.
- 16th Consecutive Top Coast Guard Security Assessment: The Port received its 16th consecutive top security rating for its state-owned public marine terminals, a recognition of its comprehensive physical and cybersecurity initiatives. In recent years, the Maryland Port Administration has installed high-mast lighting and fencing, stronger gate and fence line conditions, additional signage, and other physical security equipment.
- Arrival of the Second Largest Ship to Ever Visit the Port of Baltimore: In November, the Port welcomed the Evergreen Ever Model, capable of carrying more than 15,000 twenty-foot-long containers. The ship was the second largest to ever call on the Port, an achievement that represents continuing business growth made possible by the port’s modernization, Baltimore’s 50-foot-deep channel, and supersized cranes at the Seagirt Marine Terminal.
- Funding for Mid-Bay Habitat Restoration: The Maryland Port Administration worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to secure $72 million for design and construction of the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Environmental Restoration Project. The project, located by the James and Barren islands in western Dorchester County, is focused on restoring and expanding island habitat. The project will use dredged materials to provide hundreds of acres of wetland and terrestrial habitat for local wildlife.
The Port of Baltimore generates approximately 20,300 direct jobs, with more than 273,000 jobs overall in Maryland linked to the Port, and an annual economic impact of more than $70 billion. In 2024, the Port ranked first nationally for roll on/roll off farm and construction machinery, imported forest products, and imported gypsum. The Port ranked second for autos and light trucks, salt, exported coal, and imported sugar. Overall, Baltimore ranked 10th among all U.S. ports for the dollar value of its cargo and 11th in total cargo tonnage.
