Port of Baltimore Opens New Grain Transloading Facility

The Port of Baltimore in the US has launched a new on-dock grain transloading facility at its Seagirt container terminal, providing agricultural exporters with a more efficient route for moving their products overseas.

The facility removes the need for grain to be loaded into containers at an offsite location before being transported to the port, helping to reduce both handling requirements and transportation costs.

Developed by Ports America Chesapeake in partnership with Frey Commodities, the four-acre site features three silos capable of storing a combined 60,000 bushels of grain. The facility has the capacity to load more than 200 containers each week.

Previously, grain exported through Baltimore had to be transported to a separate location, where it was transferred into empty shipping containers. Those containers were then moved by truck to the Seagirt terminal.

Under the new system, agricultural trucks can deliver grain directly to the container terminal. A conveyor system moves the cargo into the storage silos before the grain is transferred into containers ready for export.

Ports America Chesapeake will operate the new facility exclusively on behalf of Frey Commodities.

The terminal’s shortline rail links with CSX and Norfolk Southern will also expand the geographical area served by the facility. In addition to agricultural producers in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, the rail connections will provide access to grain-producing regions across the US Midwest.

The companies plan to use the facility to support grain exports destined for markets in Europe, Asia and South America.

By allowing grain to be delivered and loaded directly at the terminal, the operation is expected to reduce the number of truck journeys required while providing agricultural producers with a more direct connection to Baltimore’s container shipping network.