Salisbury, MD — Governor Wes Moore today joined Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investment Limited to break ground on the Sparrows Point Container Terminal. The 168-acre container terminal and on-dock rail facility at Coke Point will drive historic economic growth for Maryland, creating more than 8,000 jobs and expanding container handling capacity at the Port of Baltimore by 70%. Terminal Investment Limited and Tradepoint Atlantic secured approximately $1.2 billion in private financing to deliver the facility, marking one of the largest private container terminal investments in U.S. history.
“Progress doesn’t just happen, progress is made to happen,” said Gov. Moore. “From our response to the Key Bridge collapse two years ago to the recovery that continues to this day, Team Maryland and our federal partners are showing what it looks like to deliver progress through partnership. Today at Sparrows Point, we mark the next chapter in the Port of Baltimore’s success story — for our workers, for our state, and for our nation.”
Backed by $88 million in state investments across multiple sources, the project represents the next major phase in Tradepoint Atlantic’s mission to revitalize the former Bethlehem Steel site. Once completed in 2030, the terminal will elevate Baltimore from the sixth- to the third-largest container port on the Eastern Seaboard. The site will handle approximately 1 million containers annually and generate an estimated $1.5 billion in economic activity for the state. The project will also support 1,100 permanent International Longshoremen’s Association union jobs and an additional 7,000 indirect jobs connected to the terminal’s operations.
The state’s planned investment includes $48 million in conditional loans from the Department of Commerce through the Sunny Day Fund, to be dispersed over the next six state fiscal years pending approval from the Legislative Policy Committee; $2 million in conditional loans from the Department of Commerce through the Advantage Maryland program; and $38 million in fiscal 2025 and 2026 budget allocations. The development is further supported by a nearly $40 million federal grant through the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program and a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with Baltimore County.
The new terminal, developed in partnership with Terminal Investment Limited—a global leader in container terminal investments owned by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and Global Infrastructure Partners—will feature seven ship-to-shore cranes capable of servicing two ultra-large container vessels simultaneously.
“Tradepoint Atlantic and the greater Port of Baltimore are key drivers of economic strength and opportunity in Maryland, and today’s groundbreaking is an important step forward in expanding that impact,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. “We worked to secure $40 million in federal funding for this project, an investment that comes as a direct result of our passage of the infrastructure modernization bill, underscoring the importance of supporting the foundations of economic growth and opportunity. This project will support good-paying union jobs while boosting the Port’s capacity and efficiency.”
“The new Tradepoint Atlantic Terminal being constructed at Sparrows Point represents a tremendous opportunity for the people of my district and the State of Maryland as a whole,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “This federal investment recognizes the Port of Baltimore’s importance to America’s supply-chains and economy at large, and I am proud to be a part of a Maryland Delegation that will not cease working to bring important investments like these back to communities across the Baltimore region.”
“This new container terminal is the latest chapter of a great American comeback story – one that will create thousands of good-paying union jobs and open the door to long-term economic opportunity for many more Maryland families,” said Congressman Johnny Olszewski. “It’s further evidence that the former home of Bethlehem Steel, once a symbol of American industrial might and the heartbeat of the Sparrows Point community, is ready to do it again, in a new way, for a new generation. I’m grateful to Tradepoint Atlantic, Terminal Investment Limited and the hard work of our federal, state and local government teams who made this project a reality.”
“Today’s groundbreaking at Sparrows Point is exactly the kind of strategic, long-term port investment the United States needs,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) Administrator Stephen Carmel. “The Department of Transportation and MARAD are committed to building a resilient maritime supply chain. Through the $39.7 million Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant, MARAD is proud to support the terminal’s expansion. This project will dramatically strengthen America’s maritime supply chain and expand domestic cargo capacity on the East Coast.”
“In the Senate, I have long believed that a strong port means a strong state, and today’s groundbreaking at Sparrows Point is the clearest proof of that conviction,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson. “The Sparrows Point Container Terminal is a statement about Maryland’s economic future. We built the legislative framework to make investments like this possible, and we are proud to see it delivering results for working families across our state.”
“Today is a great day for Baltimore County and shows what happens when we invest in good jobs for our residents, which empowers them to provide for their families, put food on their tables, and build strong futures,” said Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier. “This partnership is an economic engine and continues to keep our region’s shipping industry among the best in the world.”
“This groundbreaking marks one of the most significant moments in the history of this site and for the Port of Baltimore,” said Tradepoint Atlantic Managing Director Kerry Doyle. “Our partnership with TiL is a transformational investment in Maryland’s economy and Baltimore’s future. The Sparrows Point Container Terminal will position the Port as a true global gateway and economic engine, making Maryland strategically significant and globally competitive for decades to come.”
“TiL is proud to partner with Tradepoint Atlantic on this landmark project and major private investment,” said Terminal Investment Limited Chief Executive Officer Ammar Kanaan. “Our commitment to Baltimore and the state of Maryland reflects our confidence in this market and our belief that this terminal will be a critical driver of economic growth and opportunity for the region and the broader East Coast. Furthermore, with the help of our majority shareholder MSC, we expect Baltimore to become the cargo gateway for not just Maryland but the entire Midwest.”
“The Port of Baltimore and surrounding communities have built their livelihoods on the strength of this port, and today’s groundbreaking ensures that strength will only grow,” said ILA Local 333 President Scott Cowan. “The Sparrows Point Container Terminal means more jobs, more cargo, and more opportunity for our members. We are proud to support this investment and look forward to the work ahead.”
